O.K., I'm sick, so I've got some time to comment on the entries
I also regarded not the page count for rules, as some got permits for exception, others didn't.
I did, however, look at NPC and location speerately, at the rules side of it, and how the encounter wrapped these together.
1. Put to the sword.
The premise of the adventure was interesting, if a bit cliché. I didn't like that some details about the backstory were left out.
What if a wizard got a sleep spell through, then they would heal the lizardfolk and take him into the big city? Would he still try to die, safe from his tribe?
O.K., that's far-fetched, but what if the tribe came around while the PCs were still there? Would they attack? Thank them? Spit on the lizardfolk as he begged for death?
Overall, a safe place in the middle.
2. Catch as catch can.
I liked that one. A NPC catfish, a fisherman in need, somehow I liked it. But it was too unremarkable on the technical side, so in the end, it was one of the lower rated.
The river and the halfling fisher were too impersonal; sorry.
3. The Centaur's very bad day
I also liked that one very much, as it didn't revolve around fighting.
Still, the rules-wise handling of the tree trunk struck me as a little bit odd or difficult, and it was too unsafe that the PCs would even stumble upon the centaur.
4. L'amour d'Erinyes.
I really liked the premise! I immediately saw this as a role-playing encounter, at the fallen demon, though a rather often heard tale, was a nice idea.
I would have liked to read something about the feelings of the ranger, though.
Upper half, but not winner.
5. Harmonies in the snow.
That one almost got my vote!
A bardic pseudodragon, and a singing valley? I really liked both, but I found some of the explanations and bindings to be a bitt abrupt or confusing.
I will use this in my campaign, though, nevertheless.
6. Bad Cats' Day.
This encounter gave a lot of thought towards tailoring the valley in a different way. Though I don't use psionics too often, I really liked the idea of putting PCs against fearsome animal isntead of the usual NPC or Monster. See why panthers and lions are feared in Real Life!
The deranged keeper of the valley was also quite nice, and both work perfectly well without each other.
That was my vote for the heat.
7. The Portal.
I somehow felt this was an old idea. Furthermore, the orc was tied very much to the tower, and the encounter lacked a bit of flavor to me. Something specuial about the wizard, perhaps, or some other details, would have benefitted this encounter very much.
Middle half - though I really, really, liked the scaling part of the encounter, it was perhaps a little too much, drawing space from other details.
8. *Cough*, I feel *cough* great!
I liked the idea, though how it would work with suggestion was a bit stretchy. Why not invent a new spell capable of doing it? A great "command", perhaps? "One sentence of up to eight words that the subject, failing a will throw, will adhere to." - You feel great.
The premise was cool, but I didn't like the execution. Furthermore, what would happen if the Pcs have one or two healers, that set up shop and heal everyday? They sure have more spells for that purpose.
9. An unexpected visitor drops in.
I didn't like it at all.
It was well-written, and technically sound, but somehow I just didn't like the NPC, the egg, the visitor from outer space theory - anything.
Technically sound, though.
Berandor
