sabrinathecat
Explorer
Again, I do not see an existing review, so if there is one that I missed, my apologies.
Specs (since I saw other reviews with them, I thought I'd plagiarize (ahem) borrow, that idea.
Curse of the Kingspire (M2), for Level 4-6 party
$16
copyright Goodman Games 2009, written by Harley Stroh
One 64-page book
--Title page (1)
--Contents Page (1)
--Intro/Summary (1)
--List of Encounters (1)
--Getting Started (2 pages)
--Art (4 full pages, 4 half-pages, numerous small)
--Handouts (2 pages-1 full, 2 halves)
--Maps (6)
--Legalese disclaimers (1)
The last 2 reviews I wrote were pretty negative (one damning). I am happy to report that this will be much better.
"Strange mists and weird lights glimmer and seethe along the banks of the Drachenvold Swamp. Kingshire folk have vanished like ghosts into the swamp, leaving only strange idols in their wake. At the heart of the fetic marsh, ruins of an ancient keep are all that remain of a once mighty band of rebel eladrin lords."
"But the ruined keep is home to a hungry curse capable of drawing the heroes back through time and space. Cast into a foreign realm of endless horror and bloodshed, it will take all your courage and cunning to end...The Curse of the Kingspire."
The image on the cover is another classic Clyde Caldwell, and has little-to-nothing to do with the story. But it is very pretty.
Summary: the adventure starts like many others I've seen for 4th ed--the party has to investigate a fringe village where people have started a cult worshiping daemons or devils. But the actual source of the power feeding the cultists turns out to be entirely different. After fighting their way (or even just sneaking) into the cult and investigating the ruins, the cult's ritual finishes (it moves at the speed of "Plot"), sending the party to a pocket dimension where the ancient Eladrin fortress is reliving the same day (ala 12:01 (excellent movie) or Groundhog Day (meh--over-rated)) for the last couple thousand years. Unfortunately, that day is the day the fortress was sacked and destroyed by marauding proto-human barbarian hordes. Everything follows a set pattern. There is a way out. There are three major factions vying for the power to change the situation, each with his or her own agenda. The party ends up being sent to find a lost artifact at the bottom foundations of the remote mountain on which the fortress sits. The king's brother took it and left right after the spell sealing the fortress into this pocket was first cast. The players can participate in a full cycle if they wish. The rough chronicle of what happens when comes in handy. If a character dies, the party can wait until the end of the cycle, when everyone who has died is brought back. But there is a price to be paid.
Monsters:
Witch of Drachenvold, Ancient Crocodiles, Jumping spiders, "Joh Ocat" Watch Captain, Huntsman, Miller's Apprentice, Swamp Zombies, Decrepit Swamp Zombies, Phantasms
---------------
Archers, Woodsman, Village Cultists, Ruined Gargoyles, "Arkos" cult leader, Cult Champion, Initiate
-----------
Savage Warchief, Barbarian Champions, Barbarian Archers, Barbarian Warriors, Eladrin Knight of Elihai, "Nyrae" the Crow King, Shadow Cat, Vizier, Red Shard Dragon, Eladrin Archers, Lady Ariarch, Pseudo Dragon, Gargoyles, War Bear, Torturer (lesser Formorian), Mad Gaoler, Rat Swarms, Dire Rats, Feywracked Impalers, Feywracked Knight, Feywracked Shawman, Devourer Worm
New Magic Items: The RuneBlade +3 LifeDrinker Greatsword artifact (one of 4)
Other thoughts:
This adventure includes a number of fights that the party, frankly, cannot win. This is about the overwhelming hordes of barbarians storming the castle. The destruction of the fortress in inevitable. And, everything that dies comes back to life. At best, the party participating in direct combat will result in a delay. At the end of the 13-hour cycle, the hordes attacking the fortress as well as the defenders all start where they were. Other encounters can be played either as combats or role-playing. The party has many options for sneaking around and learning. While investigating the fortress ruins during the cultists' ceremony, they can find objects and information that will be useful when bounced into the horror of the Fortress' last day (again).
These proto-eladrin that staff the fortress are clearly more connected to the feywild--their Eladrin encounter teleport is 7, instead of the usual 5.
This could be a quick & easy into to bouncing a party into Ravenloft.
If the RuneBlade is 1 of 4 blades crafted, maybe the party will find the other three?
There is one math problem with the last portion of this adventure (about the speed of the elevator), which could have been easily cleared up. Knowing the speed in minutes is not as helpful as knowing how many rounds ____ will take, and is important during one of the final fights.
During hour 2, a feast is prepared. During hour 3 there is a battle event. During hour 4 it is consumed. So, for an hour, it just sits on the tables, getting cold?
"It feels like hours going down the stairs." Given that time is a factor, the number of hours it would take (minimum) would be worth mentioning. As would the time climbing back up.
There are some very nice traps in here, both clever and well detailed.
The factional warfare in the court of the Crow King does remind me of Demon Queen's Enclave, but not as severely hateful.
There is a nice touch in one bit about the guards giving up on gambling, since the next day everything resets back to where it was (including coins, so what's the point of winning?). Would the cards turn out the same every hand? Is there no chance of random chance anymore?
Likewise the court wizard might be very generous with the magic items in her possessions and treasures, knowing that they will be back where they were if the party fails (or just at the end of the 13-hour cycle).
Having read the module, I am looking forward to eventually running this one.
Specs (since I saw other reviews with them, I thought I'd plagiarize (ahem) borrow, that idea.
Curse of the Kingspire (M2), for Level 4-6 party
$16
copyright Goodman Games 2009, written by Harley Stroh
One 64-page book
--Title page (1)
--Contents Page (1)
--Intro/Summary (1)
--List of Encounters (1)
--Getting Started (2 pages)
--Art (4 full pages, 4 half-pages, numerous small)
--Handouts (2 pages-1 full, 2 halves)
--Maps (6)
--Legalese disclaimers (1)
The last 2 reviews I wrote were pretty negative (one damning). I am happy to report that this will be much better.
"Strange mists and weird lights glimmer and seethe along the banks of the Drachenvold Swamp. Kingshire folk have vanished like ghosts into the swamp, leaving only strange idols in their wake. At the heart of the fetic marsh, ruins of an ancient keep are all that remain of a once mighty band of rebel eladrin lords."
"But the ruined keep is home to a hungry curse capable of drawing the heroes back through time and space. Cast into a foreign realm of endless horror and bloodshed, it will take all your courage and cunning to end...The Curse of the Kingspire."
The image on the cover is another classic Clyde Caldwell, and has little-to-nothing to do with the story. But it is very pretty.
Summary: the adventure starts like many others I've seen for 4th ed--the party has to investigate a fringe village where people have started a cult worshiping daemons or devils. But the actual source of the power feeding the cultists turns out to be entirely different. After fighting their way (or even just sneaking) into the cult and investigating the ruins, the cult's ritual finishes (it moves at the speed of "Plot"), sending the party to a pocket dimension where the ancient Eladrin fortress is reliving the same day (ala 12:01 (excellent movie) or Groundhog Day (meh--over-rated)) for the last couple thousand years. Unfortunately, that day is the day the fortress was sacked and destroyed by marauding proto-human barbarian hordes. Everything follows a set pattern. There is a way out. There are three major factions vying for the power to change the situation, each with his or her own agenda. The party ends up being sent to find a lost artifact at the bottom foundations of the remote mountain on which the fortress sits. The king's brother took it and left right after the spell sealing the fortress into this pocket was first cast. The players can participate in a full cycle if they wish. The rough chronicle of what happens when comes in handy. If a character dies, the party can wait until the end of the cycle, when everyone who has died is brought back. But there is a price to be paid.
Monsters:
Witch of Drachenvold, Ancient Crocodiles, Jumping spiders, "Joh Ocat" Watch Captain, Huntsman, Miller's Apprentice, Swamp Zombies, Decrepit Swamp Zombies, Phantasms
---------------
Archers, Woodsman, Village Cultists, Ruined Gargoyles, "Arkos" cult leader, Cult Champion, Initiate
-----------
Savage Warchief, Barbarian Champions, Barbarian Archers, Barbarian Warriors, Eladrin Knight of Elihai, "Nyrae" the Crow King, Shadow Cat, Vizier, Red Shard Dragon, Eladrin Archers, Lady Ariarch, Pseudo Dragon, Gargoyles, War Bear, Torturer (lesser Formorian), Mad Gaoler, Rat Swarms, Dire Rats, Feywracked Impalers, Feywracked Knight, Feywracked Shawman, Devourer Worm
New Magic Items: The RuneBlade +3 LifeDrinker Greatsword artifact (one of 4)
Other thoughts:
This adventure includes a number of fights that the party, frankly, cannot win. This is about the overwhelming hordes of barbarians storming the castle. The destruction of the fortress in inevitable. And, everything that dies comes back to life. At best, the party participating in direct combat will result in a delay. At the end of the 13-hour cycle, the hordes attacking the fortress as well as the defenders all start where they were. Other encounters can be played either as combats or role-playing. The party has many options for sneaking around and learning. While investigating the fortress ruins during the cultists' ceremony, they can find objects and information that will be useful when bounced into the horror of the Fortress' last day (again).
These proto-eladrin that staff the fortress are clearly more connected to the feywild--their Eladrin encounter teleport is 7, instead of the usual 5.
This could be a quick & easy into to bouncing a party into Ravenloft.
If the RuneBlade is 1 of 4 blades crafted, maybe the party will find the other three?
There is one math problem with the last portion of this adventure (about the speed of the elevator), which could have been easily cleared up. Knowing the speed in minutes is not as helpful as knowing how many rounds ____ will take, and is important during one of the final fights.
During hour 2, a feast is prepared. During hour 3 there is a battle event. During hour 4 it is consumed. So, for an hour, it just sits on the tables, getting cold?
"It feels like hours going down the stairs." Given that time is a factor, the number of hours it would take (minimum) would be worth mentioning. As would the time climbing back up.
There are some very nice traps in here, both clever and well detailed.
The factional warfare in the court of the Crow King does remind me of Demon Queen's Enclave, but not as severely hateful.
There is a nice touch in one bit about the guards giving up on gambling, since the next day everything resets back to where it was (including coins, so what's the point of winning?). Would the cards turn out the same every hand? Is there no chance of random chance anymore?
Likewise the court wizard might be very generous with the magic items in her possessions and treasures, knowing that they will be back where they were if the party fails (or just at the end of the 13-hour cycle).
Having read the module, I am looking forward to eventually running this one.
