OK, I've gotta say this: OSM ROCKS!

[JeffB]

I'm an old fart DM....

I miss Gygax, Moldvay, Hammack, Leason,Schick, and all the other pre-1982 or so TSR module writers. I long for the days of the Ghost Tower of Inverness, The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, GDQ, White Plume Mountain,The original A series, Castle Amber..the list goes on...

I don't like 95% of the published modules out there in the D20 community (Necromancer and Kenzer being the only two companies whom I've yet to be disspointed with)

I don't like Psionics. 1E was a mess, and we never used them. When I started gaming again in the late 1990's with 2E I glanced at the CPHB and the PO stuff which only strengthened the fact that I hate AD&D Psionics. and 3E while better than previous versions still puts a scowl on my face when they are mentioned. I just don't like D&D psionics from a rules standpoint (added complication...I would like a Psionic themed "spellcaster" if you will ala Rolemaster or Palladium fantasy though).

But with all the hubbub on EN World about how great Kevin's "Of Sound Mind" was, I decided to take a look. The fact that there were "options" for running a non-Psionic version greatly swayed me into the purchase.

Well, it's a week later, I've read the module all the way through once and re-read choice areas multiple times, and all I can say is that OSM is the best 3E module on my shelf....period. Psionics or not.

I have not run it yet obviously, but I just know this module will make for a number of fun sessions. At first I was a little apprehensive about the antagonist and it's followers, but the more I read, the more I came to love the way they were presented, and I almost felt like I was reading a good novel.

Great Writing. Great Dungeon Design. Great Plot. And Bruce Cordell's forward is right on: the flow of the encounters is excellent. In my reading, it very much had a "1st edition feel". Cool traps, some "waste your time" encounters (which I like to spring on my players), nice puzzles (the Dragon Eye gems), some areas where Roleplaying works better than combat, and some combats where you are gonna die if you don't think first and act second.

One of things that I hate about most 3E (especially from WOTC) and D20 modules is how many "templated, classed or PrClassed monsters are used. I detest all the half this, half that, BlackGuard, LizardMan ,Vampire non-sense. I think it's used mostly in a metagame sense simply to try and do something different for the sake of being different, or to show off someone's grasp of the rules or what they can do. Many of the DUNGEON mag adventures are like that. It bores me to tears and totally puts me off. While OSM did not have a proliferation of "wierdos", there were a few things I would never consider using normally, as the typical portrayal in other products has or would likely have soured me on them. Kevin, however did a Damn Good job of integrating the more "odd" stuff into the story. They are not there for the sake of being there or being "cool" but were instead woven quite well into the whole picture to further the story and adventure. Most excellent!

While I'm still not a fan of Psionics (rules, that is), I will definitely be using the "arcane" version after my current campaign winds down.

Even if you don't like Psionics this mod is definitely worth picking up and worth twice the price AFAIC.

Ok, I'm done blathering....

When are part 2 & 3 due?

 

[Sagan Darkside]

It was a good adventure- and one my clue-less players actually made through the whole thing. The one who usually pays no attention actually recalled the necessary information for the final scene.

Considering how many adventures I have had to chuck aside as they either get themselves killed or just walk away- I was estatic to finish this one.

Of course, I made the mistake of putting them through the Bane Warrens- and now we play Spycraft, so the sequels will have to wait to be useful for me.

SD

 

[Sixchan]

Sounds pretty cool. I never liked 2e very much at all, and I held out on 3e until pretty recently. If it has a 1e feel, I'll be sure pick this up at some point.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Piratecat]

I'm extremely flattered.

More accurately, I'm really gratified that the mix I decided to put in was liked by other folks! There are a lot of tiny echoes to "classic games" - the layout of a certain room looking just a bit like a certain 1e book cover, for instance. I think that I made the adventure pretty tough for 1st lvl characters, and 2nd lvl PCs have a better survival chance. But I tried to write a game that *I* would want to run, one with both good battles and sneaky thinking and important roleplay. It seems to have paid off.

Did you notice? The game follows the age-old rat bastard credo, "When something really bad happens, make sure that the PCs are the ones who bring it about - and who can solve it." There are a few important decisions in the adventure, and what the players decide can make a big difference in the end-game.

I just got the contract for OSM2 yesterday. I've throttled back my writing quite a bit while I try to launch my own business, but OSM2 is scheduled for (I believe) early next summer. It should be as good, or better, than OSM1 - and like the former, I'll write it with an arcane conversion.