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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2010171" data-attributes="member: 18387">By Glenn Dean, Staff Reviewer d20 Magazine Rack*** Warning --- Possible Spoilers!***Sizing Up the TargetThe Invasion of Arun’Kid is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure for the Kingdoms of Kalamar adventure setting by Kenzer Co. Written by Scott Casper, this 50-page adventure retails for $11.99.First BloodThe Invasion of Arun’Kid is an adventure for 1st to 3rd level characters set in Kenzer’s Kingdoms of Kalamar setting. The adventure consists of both site- and event-based encounters set around a small village. It includes both combat and roleplaying encounters, and in fact a great deal of the adventure can be resolved through clever diplomacy and negotiation rather than a hack-and-slash approach, if players are so inclined.The adventure begins in the small village of Arun’Kid, a one-goat farming town founded decades ago by a retired adventurer who used his personal fortune to establish and support the town. The town is suddenly invaded by a band of gnomes tracking a rogue who stole their clan treasure. The PCs must resolve the mystery of the clan’s treasure, defeat or placate the gnome band, smooth over relations with the local baron, and potentially defeat other threats to the town following the rumored hoard.In addition to the major encounter areas, the adventure includes full statistics for the town and all of its residents, along with several variations on plot hooks and rumors that serve both to begin the adventure and provide leads to other possible adventures in the area. There are five full pages of maps, as well as 16 half- or full-page illustrations designed to give players a visual feel for the adventure. A full cast of characters (with statistics) is provided in the appendix, along with a new NPC class, the Bandit, a new-to-d20 magic item, and a new spell.The Invasion of Arun’Kid could be used as a stand-alone adventure or as the beginning to a campaign. Most of the encounters are with typical PC-type races, and the majority of the encounters are village or wilderness-based, making this a refreshing change from the more traditional introductory dungeon adventure.Critical HitsThe Invasion of Arun’Kid provides a great setting in which to begin a campaign. The village of Arun’Kid is completely detailed, and has a number of engaging and interesting NPCs. The visual aids really help to bring the village and the adventure to life. With the additional background material and hooks present in the adventure, there is the potential for a number of sessions of low-level adventuring in and around the town.The adventure is well designed to support multiple styles of parties and play. The player characters can be residents of Arun’Kid – probably the best way to start – or travelers; background is provided to start the adventure with either option. Encounters are designed to be solved either through combat or roleplay, with outcomes and experience given for each approach – a nice touch that sets this adventure aside from many that simply allow PCs to hack their way to the end of the adventure – though there is potentially enough combat for even the most bloodthirsty PC.Critical MissesThe Invasion of Arun’Kid, though a great beginning adventure, might be a little difficult for beginning GMs to run. The opening series of encounters is designed for PCs at different individual locations, rather than for a unified party, which can be a challenge for a novice GM. The product also assumes the use of the Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting and Player’s Guide; many of the NPCs have Kalamar-specific feats that are not provided in the module. It is quite easy to substitute core feats for them, though, and Arun’Kid would translate well to most other fantasy campaign settings, particularly those with a grittier, lower-magic feel.Like every adventure publisher, Kenzer had to make a choice as to where to locate NPC and monster stat blocks. While my preference is to have them in the encounter text, Kenzer has chosen to place them at the end of the module. Luckily, though, since so many of the encounters could potentially be resolved through diplomacy, page-flipping should be relatively minimal for the GM. Stat blocks also do not list weapon damage with adjustments, so the GM will need to figure those in advance.Coup de GraceThe Invasion of Arun’Kid provides a nicely fleshed-out setting in which to begin a campaign. Though it is designed for the Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting, and is thus not an OGC product, any GM could adapt it readily to his or her own favorite campaign setting. Though higher in price than the average adventure module of its length, the price is offset by the inclusion of a number of visual aids which can be quite handy in running the adventure.To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments that the reviewer will respond to, go to The Critic's Corner at <a href="http://www.d20zines.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=&topic=3" target="_blank">www.d20zines.com.</a></blockquote>

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