3 out of 5 rating for Drums in the Marsh
Hi, this review will be spoilerific. I recently ran this and wanted to talk a little abot what I found interested and what I felt was a little out of place. This scenario to me was the first time that the entirety of the scenario for expeditions has been set outside Phlan. We have had other scenarios , Shadows over the Moonsea partially set outside but this was the first time we learnt of locations distant from Phlan and met some npcs that its likely we might not meet again but at the same time it does set up that life does indeed exist from a creative standpoint outside Phlan. The scenario sees the players investigating the disappearance of farmers and folk from the areas surrounding the Twilight Marsh which is a large swamp area to the East of Phlan . Sadly we dont yet have a map of 5e Phlan and surrounding areas. I needed to go google it to see where exactly I was directing the group. After investigation, the party needs to track the capitives back to a central location through the swamp and then 'deal' with a collection of Lizardmen and their 'king'. Pros: A)I liked the descriptions of the swamp and the fact that the scenario never really played around with who it might be taking the people. It clearly stood out that people realised the Lizardmen were behind it. B) The Monsters fought.. belonged to the environment. Far too often modules find this almost perverse need to include monsters that dont fit the geography or environment of the region. It almost breaks some scenarios in doing so. Not so this Scenario, here we are treated to Lizardmen, Giant Toads, a Cameo by a Giant Goat and many other swampy/marsh based creatures. C) A Clear Goal. Some have mentioned in other scenarios that the goals of what the party need to do isnt clear. It pretty much is here. Cons A) I did not find the named npc's too interesting. I think part of that for me was that we have only had very limited trips outside of Phlan to the point where we know not to get too involved with npcs outside of Phlan because its unlikey we will be back there. With the buffet of Phlan Npc's we have been getting this does make me a little sad B) The Faction missions. Ive been becoming a little alarmed by this esp for the first season of a new organised play campaigns. The faction mission here to try to resolve the Lizardman tribes issues peacefully is great and probably yeah in line with what the Enclave is about, but at no point earlier in the scenario did this get expressed to their faction members. Luckily my group went down this path but it still frustrated me a bit. Its not the first time Expeditions has done this and it wont be the last Still for a first time trip out of Phlan this scenario was quite appealing.
