der_kluge
Adventurer
I wanted to share my thoughts on an old module I've used, and am planning on using again, that's a hidden gem. There are several of these in Dungeon magazines (hidden gems, that is), that I think are mostly over-looked, but that are actually really good, and even spectacular with a bit of work.
The module I'm referring to is called Nightshade, and it comes to us by way of Dungeon Magazine #7! Yep, let's jump in the wayback machine to 1987 for this one. Tenfootpole.org said "It’s not ground-breaking but it is decent.", but I think it's actually amazing, especially with some modifications.
Synopsis: The PCs are hired by Olias Sandhillow, a nobleman to retrieve a potion for him that he's commissioned. Easy enough. The PCs have a slightly difficult time finding the alchemist in question, and then are trailed on the way there, and confronted by thugs on the way back.
In the story, Olias has gotten a woman pregnant, and he doesn't want to be tied down. To remedy this, he's hired the Alchemist "Nightshade" to create a potion of Amnesia for him to take care of this little problem. The thugs are ostensibly hired muscle from the lady's parents, or friends (it's left kind of vague) who want to ensure that she doesn't get this potion. The PCs have to decide in the moment who to trust, and what to do. It can go several directions.
Why this module is amazing. As written, it's pretty B- content. But here's what I've changed, and I'm just loving the possibilities here. Olias has done this before. And his current "girlfriend" Lenore, knows this. She's set to end Olias' ways for good. But instead of amnesia, it's a heightened version of modify memory (which seems far more powerful and useful here), and she intends to intercept it, and make Olias drink it, convincing him that they were married, and that he's put her name in his will, and also tied her to his considerable business holdings. Also, Lenore is a Warlock with Mask of Many Faces, and uses her ability to disguise herself as him in order to sign over all these documents. Also, she's not actually pregnant, just lying about to serve her own interests.
The PCs need to decide which despicable person to trust more, and how to navigate this tricky political situation.
In the module, the map is terrible, the way into his shop is vague, and weird, and also terrible, and the interaction with Nightshade is also not that interesting. I've fixed all that stuff, but far too much detail to include here. There are a few other modules from old Dungeon magazines that I lump into the "hidden gem" category, but I want to know what others have found - do you know of any hidden gems, or things that, after slight revisions have been "go-to" modules for you? I want to know about them!
The module I'm referring to is called Nightshade, and it comes to us by way of Dungeon Magazine #7! Yep, let's jump in the wayback machine to 1987 for this one. Tenfootpole.org said "It’s not ground-breaking but it is decent.", but I think it's actually amazing, especially with some modifications.
Synopsis: The PCs are hired by Olias Sandhillow, a nobleman to retrieve a potion for him that he's commissioned. Easy enough. The PCs have a slightly difficult time finding the alchemist in question, and then are trailed on the way there, and confronted by thugs on the way back.
In the story, Olias has gotten a woman pregnant, and he doesn't want to be tied down. To remedy this, he's hired the Alchemist "Nightshade" to create a potion of Amnesia for him to take care of this little problem. The thugs are ostensibly hired muscle from the lady's parents, or friends (it's left kind of vague) who want to ensure that she doesn't get this potion. The PCs have to decide in the moment who to trust, and what to do. It can go several directions.
Why this module is amazing. As written, it's pretty B- content. But here's what I've changed, and I'm just loving the possibilities here. Olias has done this before. And his current "girlfriend" Lenore, knows this. She's set to end Olias' ways for good. But instead of amnesia, it's a heightened version of modify memory (which seems far more powerful and useful here), and she intends to intercept it, and make Olias drink it, convincing him that they were married, and that he's put her name in his will, and also tied her to his considerable business holdings. Also, Lenore is a Warlock with Mask of Many Faces, and uses her ability to disguise herself as him in order to sign over all these documents. Also, she's not actually pregnant, just lying about to serve her own interests.
The PCs need to decide which despicable person to trust more, and how to navigate this tricky political situation.
In the module, the map is terrible, the way into his shop is vague, and weird, and also terrible, and the interaction with Nightshade is also not that interesting. I've fixed all that stuff, but far too much detail to include here. There are a few other modules from old Dungeon magazines that I lump into the "hidden gem" category, but I want to know what others have found - do you know of any hidden gems, or things that, after slight revisions have been "go-to" modules for you? I want to know about them!
