The Coils of Set - Thoughts?

[Marcon]

Did anyone play in/run this? I am kinda reluctant to buy it since I fear it's gonna throw waves after waves of boring reptilian creatures at the PCs. Is it all about snakes, yuan-tis and Fortitude saves or did they manage to vary the encounters?

-Marcon

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I don't think there are any Yuan-Ti in it at all.

I haven't given it the thorough read I want to yet (the players in my campaign are literally running in a different direction at the moment), but it's a three part module. As I recall, you start off in a city on the edge of a jungle, worrying about mysterious cultists. The second (and this is the one my memory is the worst on) is dealing with a temple full of baddies and the third is going to a Lost World type setting.

As I recall, there are a lot more "normal" encounters than there are waves upon waves of snakes: Many of the best Conan stories had a snake theme and I don't recall him ever facing nothing but snakes even in those stories. Same here.

 

[Treebore]

Yes, widely varied types of encounters. Its definitely "different" than most modules. He (Rynan Henry) keeps the 3 locations pretty generic so you should be able to fit it into any setting. I looked to make sure I would have no problems using Wilderlands, Erde, or Goodmans Known World for this module.

A fair amount of travel can also be required.

For more info and errata go to the necromancer forums and look for its dedicated forum. Ryan and I talk about some problems I had with the mod, and worked out easily enough, plus some errata and ideas are alos thrown around. There was even more, but a board crash lost a lot of threads.

 

[Nightfall]

I honestly liked it since it dealt with an underused god, like Set, and made both vinegettes as well as a cohesive storyline too. Overall I'd rate this module one of the better Necromancer Game mods out there. Well, in my mind.

 

[Treebore]

Tell Ryan that, he's been bummed that he hasn't gotten much feedback, good or bad. Seems like all the modules put out through Kenzer haven't sold well, or simply hasn't generated much feedback on the Necro boards. Actually, I'm pretty sure the demon lords have mentioned lower sales with the Kenzer releases.

Have you checked out Diamond Fortress? I liked it because of how much it reminded me of the "Return of Flame" adventure in an old Dungeon mag. I was going to tie the two together until I was brutally reminded that most of my Dungeon and Dragon collection burned up a couple of years ago.

I also thought "Family Affair" was an excellent role play oriented adventure, but still had plenty of fighting. However successful roleplay is much more helpful in that mod.

 

[Nightfall]

Tree,

I haven't picked up Family Affair. I have, however, picked up Diamond Fortress. I did like it, but Coils of Set was more my thing. Maybe because I like the Necromancer Games presentation of Set. But that's just me.

In any case I'll let the boys at Necromancer know, they still got a solid purchaser in ole NF.

 

[Treebore]

Between the two I agree Coils is better. D. Fortress is much more, fantastical? Is that a good word to summarize it? I think most would be turned off by that. Except maybe Planescape fans.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Tell Ryan that, he's been bummed that he hasn't gotten much feedback, good or bad. Seems like all the modules put out through Kenzer haven't sold well, or simply hasn't generated much feedback on the Necro boards. Actually, I'm pretty sure the demon lords have mentioned lower sales with the Kenzer releases.

Have you checked out Diamond Fortress? I liked it because of how much it reminded me of the "Return of Flame" adventure in an old Dungeon mag. I was going to tie the two together until I was brutally reminded that most of my Dungeon and Dragon collection burned up a couple of years ago.

I also thought "Family Affair" was an excellent role play oriented adventure, but still had plenty of fighting. However successful roleplay is much more helpful in that mod.

How does "A Family Affair" compare to "Doom of Listonshire"?

I bought the PDF of Doom but I haven't had a chance to run it in my campaign. The seem like they are relatively similar adventures in regards to style, balance between combat and roleplaying, etc., but I could be totally off the mark with that.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Nightfall]

Tree,

Yeah Diamond Fortress is more out there for some people. Me I liked it for its planar elements. But otherwise, Coils is much more player centered in many ways. Diamond was more about events and places. Sort of the reason why I liked Age of Worms over Shackled City. Both were good, but Age had/has more going for it.

 

[Treebore]

How does "A Family Affair" compare to "Doom of Listonshire"?

I bought the PDF of Doom but I haven't had a chance to run it in my campaign. The seem like they are relatively similar adventures in regards to style, balance between combat and roleplaying, etc., but I could be totally off the mark with that.

Olaf the Stout

I would have to re-read them to give a solid answer to that, but what I do remember is that "Family Affair" was more a murder/mystery role play heavy type of module, where "Doom" is a somewhat more role play intensive version of "Keep on the Borderlands".


Thats the best I can do, and feel like I am being accurate, without re-reading them.

As for style, I would say Carla and Ari are very different. There may be some simililar elements to their respective styles, but I felt like Carla's definitely had a womans touch to things (her style reminded me a LOT of the way my wife runs games), where Ari (mouseferatu) was, well, Ari.