A well constructed adventure with an interesting story!

I ran this for my players as the introduction to our Curse of Strahd and everyone loved it. The adventure is easy to run and the branching paths allow the players to make meaningful choices and between the dungeon, the dragon, and the magical sword it gives the players the complete D&D experience in just a few short sessions. This short adventure has introduced elements that continue to have a major effect on the game I'm running and will do for the entire campaign, I really can't recommend it enough.

There's good components here, but I don't feel that it actually comes together in a coherent way. On the way in, you're menaced by wolves that work for a dragon, but there's no indication of the dragon itself unless you suddenly find yourself fighting it. When you get to the keep you've got dead folks in their bed, despite the fact that they were supposedly killed by a dragon attack. When you get to the basement, you've got ghosts (no mention of their remains) and if you manage to appease the ghosts, everything is fine and you can go home and no further mention is made of the dragon. Oh, and the ghosts are because of an artifact with with the players never interact. What?

I like the notion here; the framework is solid and I like that there are characters with wants and needs and that you can do the whole thing on "pacficist" (if you don't mind running from wolves) but otherwise it's kind of incoherent. Also it's rife with typographical issues, the organization can get blown out the window if your players do anything other than walk in a straight line, and the map numbers don't correspond to the scene numbers.

tl;dr: Neat idea; needs work.

Songs of Aedragard is a beautiful module that brings characters from level 1 to level 4. It is framed as a starter module like Lost Mines and contains information on how to DM, conduct actions, play D&D, and more.

Songs of Aedragard is both beautiful and comprehensive. The layout is gorgeous and, even though it uses art elements from different people, all of them work together seamlessly. The watercolor and black-and-white pieces are especially beautiful, and the repeated color schemes and flowers work well.

The module is also quite complete. It has a full list of NPCs with descriptors, backgrounds, wants, and stats; it has a flow chart of the action of the adventure; it has maps (that are labeled!); it has options for combat, roleplay, and investigation; and it has a bunch of different threads, including investigating the ruined castle, having an encounter with Razorwing and her wolves, working with a giant shepherd, and more. This module really feels like a full adventure/world, and it’s a pleasure to inhabit.

Overall, I loved this adventure. It was just as much fun to read as it was to play, and it was something I honestly liked introducing my players to. I definitely recommend you give it a try!

Overall, this is a very amazing module to have for a new DM who needs a good quick session to throw for a group of people, especially when you have a child player who is interested in D&D. As a new DM, I always wanted to have a game that is friendly towards kids in case one of my co-workers and their kid want to play. This definitely helped.

I found it enjoyable because one of the scenes was something that the said kid jumped in on and he had fun with the scenario.

What I also like was the overall option and reprocussions for the choices made by the party. There is an ending based on the choices the party made. There are a couple of issues that I had, as far as (lack of) hooks go, hence the bump down to a 4 instead of a 5.

However, I definitely recommend this module to people, especially new DMs.

Songs of Aedragard

At a glance, this is an impressive 62 page campaign starter module with wonderful, professional design incorporating art from various sources, including a number of stock packs, to great effect, in keeping with the tone of the adventure by the writer themselves, Fernando A. Dolande. An Avernus of a lot for $7.95, or the incredibly kindly included financial hardship price of $2.95 (which is what I paid for the module after being offered a review copy, but still wanting to support the creators). This is by far the most ambitious and jam packed of all the #RPGWriterWorkshop I have come across so far, and all have had their own unique property that marks them as some of the best TTRPG work I've ever had the pleasure of reading, so I was oh so very excited to sink my teeth into this beast!

The introduction begins with a Content Warning (CW) for allusions / refences to child death, so please be aware of that going forward.

The synopsis, hook and adventure background, speak of Aedragard, a long forgotten and much woe betide Dwarven Stronghold whose name some have translated as “Despair’s Garden” or “Castle of Fear” which your party are hired to locate and secure by a wealthy descendant, unaware of how great a test getting there, gaining access and discovering the dark magic and trapped souls at its black heart will be. This is the kind of introduction and detailed lore that make me excited to run an adventure. The writing is of such a rich and evocative quality. Just from reading this the setting already seems so real, with its layered tragic and intriguing history that I couldn't wait to read on and think about prepping for my own adventures!

There is a fantastic dramatis personae incorporating all important NPCs with great detail, especially with regard to their descriptors, backgrounds and wants, many of which have their unique statblocks in the appendix. This style of laying out the vibe, personality, relevant history and desires, really creates a vivid image of the characters, their core and motivations accessible, making getting into their heads and thinking about how to roleplay them nice and simple, while still conveying great depth. Not only are the NPCs full of character, there are quite a few and what an interesting array of folx they are from a green dragon wyrmling, to an astute tribe of kobolds trying to protect their eggs, through a strange, witty construct, a small ogre goat farmer, to spirits, insane and otherwise, and a stubborn mountain dwarf.

The dramatis loci details the key locations in the adventure from Kryptgarden Forest, so beautifully described as, "growing at the foothills of the Sword Mts., as mold on bread" with a table of atmospheric and creepy sightings, to the desolate ruins of Aedragard and the dilapidated Knight's Hospice in the stronghold's lightless dungeons, all with keywords and flavour applied to them, which are repeated at the beginning of each relevant chapter, to really set the tone.

A fascinating new rule for the adventure is Conversation, which includes assuming each encounter begins in dialogue rather than combat ("Golden Rule: The Opposition Doesn't Shoot First"), unless it is warranted or you are herding murder hobos, and using Insight/ Deception to determine the Wants of NPCs to enable the PCs to interact, roleplay and further their relationships with the NPCs, if they see fit. This is an elegant system that will allow for some far more interesting and rewarding encounters, especially with the monstrous races and creatures that have been given a greater personality and purpose than the standard template. This is great to see and definitely something I believe we should be working towards, especially in light of the conversations about the races and creatures we are beginning to have. The example of the situation includes an adorable encounter with some goblins who just need to be loved and freedom from a mean bugbear, which melted my heart.

The Song's Structure and the overview of the adventure, again show the diligence and care with which this adventure has been crafted with the explanation of the different types of scenes and how choices made within those scenes may refer the DM and the players to other particular scenes, an in depth look at the time frame in which the story and scenes take place, the suggested milestone leveling system, and a thoughtful array of extra starting equipment for the party.

Chapter One: The Kryptgarden opens with a serious scene flow chart and advice on using the wolves in this chapter as a barrier of teeth and claws between the party and escape, plunging them ever forward without hope to turn back. In some ways this reflects a more furry version of the Mists of Ravenloft in Curse of Strahd.

The flowing of the scenes makes me nostalgic for Choose Your Own Adventure books I read as a kid, only this time it's the players' doing the choosing. The thought and layout that has gone into this makes prepping sessions and anticipating the ramifications of player choices so much easier, saving time and helping things run as smoothly as the players allow...

This chapter contains six inter-connected scenes with a nice balance between combat, exploration and roleplay, as the party traverse the Kryptgarden, explore it's somewhat abandoned locations, meet and possibly ingratiate themselves with a few of the unique and fascinating NPCs covered in the dramatis personae, and get to fight wolves, a giant spider and their babies, and a foul tempered dragon wyrmling who takes umbrage with the party's trespassing in their domain.

Although brief, the text boxes are written beautifully and extensive information about the elements and results of the scene, giving the DM the knowledge and confidence to handle each scene, allowing them to add their own descriptions and flavour or run them as written.

Chapter Two: The Ruins of Aedragard opens with a great looking Dyson Logos map and key, depicting the ruins of the dwarven stronghold and relating where certain scenes take place. You can never go wrong with a Dyson Logos map, they always find the line between stylish and functional.

This chapter contains six scenes that can be played out in whichever order the party decides to explore the ruins. The majority of the scenes are unsurprisingly exploration and excavation based, as they traverse the fallen stronghold, discovering all sorts of magical, profitable and even divine things amid the detritus. All of the exploration comes with its own interest and/ or tasty treat, so despite some backbreaking labour on the characters' part, the players should be engaged and in good spirits throughout.

This chapter also allows for a great moment for characters to interact and roleplay with one another and any NPCs they may have gained along the way. It's encouraged characters share some of their backstory and even goes so far to have a wonderful table of thought-provoking questions to ask your players if they need a jump start. Another chance for roleplay is with possibly my favourite NPC in this adventure (that I won't spoil) with a sad tale and potential for hilarious and ridiculous interactions (or sigh the party just might straight up kill them...).

Chapter There: The Knight's Hospice opens with another classic Dyson Logos map and key with a creepy note about the constant sounds of a violin playing a thoroughly detailed song, relating to one of the more prominent NPCs.

This chapter contains six scene that take places as the party explores the ancient hospice. There is a greater emphasis on exploration and roleplay as the party meet, aid or even fight with the various ghosts. There's opportunity to play, discover tales of woe and ultimately perform a joyous festival to cleanse the ruins and help the ghosts move on, or to take out their frustrations on a meddling spirit desperate to see them fail, leading to less cheerful endings. Along the way there are opportunities for each character to use their skills as well each NPC having something to aid with the festivities.

There is also a scene connecting to one in the first chapter, allowing the jump to this chapter and/ or leaving chapter two for later. This is a lovely scene with an opportunity for the party to be heroes...or watch something truly grisly occur.

There are three separate epilogues, each with their own seeds for further adventures, from success, get paid, profit, to the party's soul becoming trapped within the Darkheart, awaiting adventurers to set them free, and a true awakening of darkness and dread. This last darkest timeline outcome does allow the party to still get paid (but at what cost!?) and can set up a potential BBEG down the line as well as a reason to return to now more maudlin and macabre ruins. As a DM I usually find myself hoping for one, preferably positive, outcome to an adventure, though whether they get it or not is up to the players, but there are such interesting potential moving forward from each ending that I want to experience all three!

Possible fates are provided for each of the NPCs that may have joined the adventure. These account for the positive or negative endings and range from the gaining of a sidekick, adorably happy times to death and horror. I definitely got the feels reading through these, getting covered in goosebumps and realising how attached to the NPCs I have become just from writing this review.

The Appendices are extensive, beginning with creatures and NPCs. This includes six unique statblocks with more combat details on a pair of prominent creatures, followed by the statblocks for the standard creatures. This is followed by Magic Items and the details of their introduction in the adventure, which includes a pair of standard items, a unique and rather upbeat item, and the deliciously grimdark background and sensationally powerful abilities for the cursed Darkheart Crystal Arefact. There's enough flavour in this flash gem for many further adventures and complications, especially if the players get the not so good ending. Seriously, this is dark obsession and power made solid and the mind reels with the possibilities for ongoing adventures either against those in its thrall, characters working to escape its grasp, or even an evil adventure as minions of the Darkheart.

Next we have a wonderful and bleak handout in the Knight Commanders Diary that can be discovered in the hospice, followed by extremely helpful advice for adapting the adventure for campaigns including, Lost Mines of Phandelver (Starter), Dragons of Icepeak Mountain (Essentials), Curse of Strahd, Princes of the Apocalypse and Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, as well as thorough deconstruction of the themes and elements that make up Songs of Aedragard, to aid fitting it in to any campaign or setting.

The depth of flavour, detail and lore that this adventure has been marinated in are sensational! The love and craft with which every detail of this supplement is crafted is evident on every page; the story is layered and thematic, the locations and NPCs are well thought out and feel alive, the quality of the writing is utterly incredible, and the whole design and use of artwork are of the highest order.

Each adventure from the #RPGWriterWorkshop I've had the pleasure of reviewing has impressed me with their own unique quality, but this is something else! This is a whole introductory module with roots and seeds to grow into your own campaign. There are many fantastic starting adventures out there, but there are very few as well thought out and thoughtful as Songs of Aedragard. With the advice for adding it to other games and the nature of the roleplay and focused adventuring, this is an adventure that could also be easily scaled for any level, simply by modifying the combat scenes.

I'm often impressed, I live in a state of perpetual hype, but it's not often that I a moved by am adventure. This really is a triumph!