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After some free pdf's, this is the first paid for small encounter scenario not related to earlier D&D print products. At this price point, comparisons are with Oubliette issues or Avalon Games Company scenarios.
What you get is 19 page pdf consisting of cover (1), credits (1), backgound + rewards (2), encounter description & monster tactics (6 1/2), monster stats (4), magic item descriptions (3 1/2), encounter map (1).
Layout and typographics are satisfactory but could be improved. Better use of highlights for proper names and numbered encounter areas would be useful, I found myself using a highlighter on the Magic Item name descriptions, and the references to them in the encounter text. A little more white space might help and use of sidebars, especially for any system specific text. The footer font is bigger than the main text, surely it should be smaller? Oubliette has got better at doing this over their issues, issue 4 highlights quite well. The encounter map is shades of grey which makes it rather faint when printed.
Although this is described as systemless, it uses a OD&D like system not yet published by Spellbook Games. Thus it best lends itself to a level based d20 system. There is a basic one-page conversion document to OD&D/AD&D on the company website, this should have been included in the pdf or a reference made to it. It would be fairly easy to also convert to 3e/PF as the main monsters have class levels. Because there is no full definition of the spells, skills, or class abilities, either some conversion is needed or the GM will have to decide exactly what the various powers do. The same issue applies to magic items (what exactly does "Fatigue Banishing Potion" do?). Throughout, any skill checks are given in the Spellbook Games system. I'd suggest these be done in whatever system is being run and suitable modifiers decided by the GM. It would be useful if the adventure provided some systemless reasons for the chances given and have the chances expressed as a simple percentage or modifier.
The adventure itself is a fairly linear plot, as a simple hostage rescue. The background and plot hooks could do with a further edit to clarify to the GM what is going on. A small map of the campaign area in addition to a description would be useful. Overall there is both too much detail (eye colour of every monster) and too little (who pays the reward at the end?). A major issue is that the adventurers are against the clock but there is no written way to tell them this.
In terms of balance, I'd prefer to see less random elements that could lead to a TPK and have them suggested as additions if a higher level party is used. One important scenario element is rolled on 2d100 which if unlucky could make the adventure almost impossible to complete. It would be better to make this a sidebar plot twist that a GM could include if the party finds the scenario too easy.
The encounter description is highly detailed and the monster tactics are helpful for running the combat. Some scaling is suggested for larger parties.
Like the monster descriptions, the magic items are highly detailed. I would have preferred a smaller number of special items, particularly as they don't affect the plot, and more space used for plot e.g. adding a description of the village of Whiterock.
The adventure tries to be systemless whilst including elements of the Spellbook Games system which leads it to not entirely succeed at either. It seems to have it's origins in a home-grown campaign which needs to be balanced against providing an adventure that can be dropped into other campaigns. The focus should be more on providing something for mediocre or time constrained GM's. Good GM's can take the essentials from the module and run an interesting adventure using their preferred rules.
Overall, it's an edit away from being a memorable adventure at a reasonable price.
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