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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nail" data-source="post: 135976" data-attributes="member: 224">Well, this 'uns quite a batch.  More rule abidin', less interestin'.  I had a hard time votin', mostly 'cause o' the lack o' lizardfolk in any o' the adventures.  That's a requisite fer the contest, right?Let's see here.......************************<a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/MiniEncounter.doc" target="_blank">The Blood Soaked Seal</a>Hmmm.  Well, it's goin' by th' rules....but it seems like this'd have ta be a major, world shapin' event.  As a DM I'd hafta change things around quite a bit ta make this fit.  Since I'm guessin' the "spirit o' th' contest" is to make a "one-shot" adventure, this one doesn't make th' grade.  Picture's nice, tho'. <a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/Haunted.ZIP" target="_blank">The Haunted Box Canyon</a> (.zip file)..a ZIP file.  'nuff said.<a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/Contest.doc" target="_blank">Ruins and Statues</a>Th' writin' o' this 'un could be cleaned up a bit...('course, look who's talkin'...).  Pretty standard fire temple (while I was readin' this I couldn't help but murmur: "If ya've seen one Ring of Standing Stones Fire God Temple(tm), ya've seen 'em all....").  The gargoyle is interestin', though.  If this were more developed...well, I suppose you'd run into th' problem Mistwell is always harpin' on and on about....th' location an' the NPC wouldn't be separate.  Still, needs a better reason fer th' NPC ta be in the temple area.<a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/Hungry.doc" target="_blank">The Hungry Dead</a>Nice, quiet village...but fer this contest, th' location has ta be as impressive (or unusual) as the NPC.  That sunk it fer me.  Well written, an' I like how this is definately a "one-shot" sort of scenario......I swear I've DMed a brief encounter jus' like this.....on th' down side, the NPC motivations are weak, and they're not (in a fantasy setting) that unusual.  The PCs would be all over this 'un.<a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/momsbutchershop.doc" target="_blank">Mom's Butcher Shop</a>   A very solid entry.  Gruesome, but solid.  The shop itself is unremarkable, of course...it's only because of it's "use" (and the NPC) that it's interestin'.  (I'm sure someone'll complain about that.)  Oh yeah: an' it's well formatted.  "Hey looky -- an adventure that's easy ta read and find relavent info!  What-a-concept!"<a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/springlodge2.rtf" target="_blank">Springlodge</a>Th' location is okay, but I had ta read thru most of the doc before I found out why it's special.  That's not good: ya need a summary.  The spring is an interestin' idea, but if I were in th' driver's seat, I'd hesitate ta put it in my campaign.  Ya just know th' PCs will try ta use it....I guess that's all just DM preference.  The NPC, however, was....ermmmmm....boring.  Nothing special about him at all.   In fact, he's jus' part of th' location.  Sorry, kid.<a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/Sun.rtf" target="_blank">To Defy the Setting Sun</a>Very good.  An interesting location, and a conflicted (an' therefore interestin') NPC.  Y'all should check this one out.<a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/Prisoners.doc" target="_blank">Prisoners for the Web</a>.......an "okay" encounter.  Not particularly interesting or memorable, in either location or NPC.  ...But it's solid enough.  Jus' not enough opportunity fer role-playing....ah, who needs talkin' anyway: Time ta kick some spider arse!<a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/contest/Enc.doc" target="_blank">The Granite Beak</a>Like many in this batch, a solid, if not facinating, entry.  The location is well described, and the NPC has a good motivation ta go with a captivatin' presense.  (Sorry, couldn't help it.)  I really have only a few 'nits ta pick.  First, this can't be a very well used pass -- if it were, th' harpies could hardly be a surprise to th' merchants.  T'would be better ta have the PC hired ta "take care o' th' problem".  Second, I was really hopin' fer some connnection between th' legends of th' place wit' the adventure....that is, some sorta play on th' idea of a trapped wind god.  Wouldn't have ta be an actual god err anything (heaven knows we got enuff o' them already....), but jus' some sort of hook or twist that would bring that out.***********************Outta this batch, I'd say that Mom's Butcher Shop, To Defy the Setting Sun, an' The Granite Beak are th' best.  And of those three, To Defy the Setting Sun got my vote.  Original, memorable, well written.  How can ya go wrong wit' that one?-Nail</blockquote>

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