D&D 5E Justin Alexander's review of Shattered Obelisk is pretty scathing

[mamba]

Imagine a world where people form their own opinions instead of extolling the virtue of any opinion expressed by white men who think everything has to cater to them and them alone, and who profit off of making other white men angry at people angry white men have decided deserve to be hated.

I don't think it takes specifically a white man to review something, or that the review is aimed specifically at white men, that is an oddly specific criticism. So if this review were from a black woman (it is for a varied audience anyway) this would be fine?

The problem with everyone forming their own opinion is that you shell out $40 or so to do so. The whole point of reviews is to find out beforehand whether it is worth doing so, i.e. at a time where you cannot form your own opinion yet.

 

[mamba]

His review to me in a nutshell...

you know too few people

 

[Charlaquin]

The whole thing is in an abandoned dwarven city

"A few centuries ago, Talhundereth was abandoned by all but a few vigilant defenders. Mind flayers took advantage of Talhundereth’s depleted state to attack; during this invasion, a collapse rocked the temple and crypt alike. Both the mind flayer invaders and the temple guardians gave up Talhundereth as lost, though the mind flayers’ psychic stain remained.Since that attack, various bandits and monsters have squatted in the abandoned temple. Sometime after the mind flayers’ reign, aspiring lore-seekers brought one piece of the shattered obelisk into Talhundereth’s chapel and another into its crypt, hoping that studying the pieces in close proximity might reveal more about the obelisk’s previous powers. That group was twisted by the psychic magic resonating in the crypt. The lore-seekers lost all interest in scholarship and abandoned the fragments.

The most recent faction to enter Talhundereth is a gang that calls itself the Cult of the Obelisk. These cultists were drawn to the broken obelisk, responding to a psychic call to serve a greater force. [...]"

The part this is about lies beyond a door that the hydra would not pass, but it is not inconceivable that others entered the room since then, everything that is needed is not that far away and the chars clearly managed to...

Here is the read-aloud text for the room with the hydra

"Most of this room has collapsed into a flooded pit. The dark water ripples and splashes strangely, as though something lurks deep within it"

and the rest of the room entry

"The collapse that occurred here long ago disturbed an underground wellspring, flooding the whole area.A hydra named Grandlejaw dozes in the water, keeping one or two heads alert for danger. The source of the splashing is a high-strung water weird named Kellikilli. After realizing Kellikilli is inedible, Grandlejaw grudgingly decided to tolerate the water weird. The water weird’s constant, frenetic motionkeeps the water bubbly, which the hydra enjoys. Kellikilli likes fighting alongside a creature as tough as Grandlejaw"

and some stuff about what happens depending on what the chars do

Says nothing about when the hydra arrived, but at a minimum the collapse was long ago

Unless I’m missing something, it doesn’t sound like it’s sealed at all?

 

[Parmandur]

Unless I’m missing something, it doesn’t sound like it’s sealed at all?

I mean, the Hydra isn't going to get where it is from above. But, no, it an active hopping dungeon environment.

 

[Charlaquin]

Wouldn't be the first time. Personally, I think Perkins is overrated.

Unpopular opinion, but I agree. He’s fine, but it’s not like everything he touches turns to gold.

 

[mamba]

So, that seems like it's pretty logical to infer that the Hydra slithered up from the depths, Nessie style. Not exactly game-breaking lack of logic.

yeah, if it had been here for a few hundred years, it should have either died of hunger or old age, depending on what is available in the wellspring and how much traffic the area gets (most likely much too little...)

 

[mamba]

Unless I’m missing something, it doesn’t sound like it’s sealed at all?

no, not sealed at all, apart from that locked door for which the chars puzzled together the key (and so could the cult members, theoretically...) I do not think the hydra came in that way however, so as far as the hydra is concerned, it is sealed

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

yeah, if it had been here for a few hundred years, it should have either died of hunger or old age, depending on what is available in the wellspring and how much traffic the area gets (most likely much too little...)

Yeah, food seems like the real issue. Why is the hydra sticking around here? (Also, why is it named? It's an Int 2 creature that speaks no languages.)

 

[Parmandur]

It's not clear to me how involved Perkins was with this book, or if he is credited like Rick Baker for the original Lost Mines. He wasn't really involved in the previews, like he was for Golden Vault. I think this is mostly Amanda Harmon's work, in terms of original material.

Perkins hasn't been very prominent with any of this years releases: he seems to be working on the DMG as a primary focus.

 

[Parmandur]

yeah, if it had been here for a few hundred years, it should have either died of hunger or old age, depending on what is available in the wellspring and how much traffic the area gets (most likely much too little...)

The water connection to the outside has been there for hundreds of years, not necessarily the Hydra.