Serpent In The Fold

[ced1106]

* Can you in fact use it outside of the Scarred Lands?

Yes, you can. It's so usuable, I read the adventure and have no idea what the Scarred Lands are about.


* Does it make any assumptions about the PCs?

Best thing is for the PCs to be good. In fact, in the free download, the PCs had better be good.

GM: "The ranger, with his last dying breath, gives you the artifact and pleads, 'Please take this to the town... My people and these lands are depending on you...'"

Player: "Cool. How much is it worth?"


Download the freebie. If you like it, buy SitF.


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[Mouseferatu]

>>In SitF, there's a sequence where a PC MUST react a certain way if he fails his saving throw.<<

That's true. I wrote it that way deliberately. If you think about it, it's really no different than a Charm spell, is it? I mean, isn't that what ANY Charm/Enchantment spells do? Force a character to act in a certain way if they fail their saving throws? How is this different?

Don't get me wrong, if you weren't fond of the module, that's entirely your right, and I respect it. I'm just wondering why this bothers you when it really isn't all that different from a standard spell, except in terms of the timeframe involved.

Ari Marmell
aka
Mouseferatu
--Rodent of the Dark

 

[Messageboard Golem]

INTRODUCTION :

We were hoping to play through this before we reviewed it but life doesn’t quite allow such luxuries all the time, so we can’t claim to have followed it to its conclusion. However, we’re going to go ahead and review it anyway. (This product came direct to us courtesy of SSS.)

Serpent in the Fold is Book One of the Serpent Amphora Cycle from Sword & Sorcery, set in Scarred Lands. It is actually preceded by the free The Serpent Amphora, which you can find at www.swordsorcery.com. The Serpent Amphora is an adventure for a group of PCs with about 8 levels between them. It is set in the hinterlands where the characters are accosted by the lone, dying survivor of a small Veshian Vigil who begs them to take up the task of his Vigil to prevent the servants of Mormo from gaining more power in the Scarred Lands. This little module runs very smoothly and is of the same excellent quality as Serpent in the Fold. It wraps up nicely and leads right into the main series which could be begun without it if the circumstances did not fit the party playing it but it would be a shame to pass it up otherwise.

Serpent in the Fold is for a group of 3rd to 4th level characters who are sent on a mission for the Home Commander of Vesh. The PCs are one of a number of groups sent to uncover the nature of the Serpent Amphora, they are sent out to research and return with what they find from the library of Hedrada. There is a great deal of travel, intrigue, and treachery involved. The emphasis is quite strongly on problem-solving and role-playing. The plot will begin and end in the city of Lave, bringing the players full circle and leaving them ready for the next module or an interim adventure in the area.

LAYOUT : 8/10

Layout is really important when one is trying to run a module and this module is well done. We had a brief disagreement on whether we liked the flowing, in-line style of the module (it’s not choppy at all, it reads much like a good book), but I (Crow) prevailed and we agreed that it was very easy to read and to run with combat notes being in square boxes and role-playing notes in “parchment” boxes, graphics that resemble scraps of parchment. All necessary combat information, including the stats of foes, is easily accessible on the appropriate page, making things run more smoothly. The Tale of the Serpent Amphora, at the beginning, is nicely formatted and ripe for photocopying and handing out as a “text”.

Mage’s note: Originally, I felt that less experienced GMs would miss the usual ‘read this text box verbatim’ approach to descriptions, as the description is continuous between player information and GM info. Upon reflection, I agreed that newer GMs who learned without this crutch of rote reading would develop a solid style and an ability to relate details to their players in a more natural way.

ART : 8/10

Some of the artwork was a little on the dark side but that’s our only aesthetic complaint. All the art is well-placed so as not to interfere with the text and appropriate to the events on the page, images of the major monsters in the encounters are convieniently located to allow for some on-the-fly details of their appeareance and surroundings. The layout diagrams are clear and easy to follow. The inside back cover features a country-side map of the Vesh area for those who don’t have on in another resource or for those who like to travel light. One of the places referenced in the adventure, Barel, was not placed on any map which was vexing. It photocopies well for sharing with the players.

WRITING : 10/10

As usual, the writing is fantastic. This is the first time I have ever enjoyed reading a module just for the sake of the read. It flows clearly and smoothly, making it easy to read through from cover to cover while preparing. The text is rich and detailed, creating the mood for the GM who can then convey it to the players. The written dialogue of the NPCs is also well done. You don’t have to be good with words yourself to really make this module come alive. All the hard work has been done for you already by the writers at SSS.

CREATIVITY : 9/10

We don’t want to give too much away! Needless to say, this is not a “there and back again” story. The basic idea of the Amphora is wonderful, a lead vessel containing the vital fluids of the evil Hagqueen Mormo, and the intrigue around it is tightly woven. Your players are not going to be ahead of the game with this module just because they’ve already played a lot of fantasy games and know the standard plots. The NPCs and monsters in this module are fantastic. The main NPCs are well fleshed out and beautifully described. The monsters are not the ones we used to roll on the random encounter tables when we were kids, so we didn’t find ourselves bored at all. The plot is streamlined to ease player cooperation without bending reality and it has some very well-placed twists and turns that encourage a healthy sense of uncertainty in the players.

FUNCTIONALITY : 7/10

This does exactly what any module should do : provides an easy-to-unravel resource that makes for a not-so-easy-to-unravel adventure. It maintains the plot without being forceable with players’ choices and provides troubleshooting guides to bring things back on track in the event of departure from the storyline. It is exciting all the way through with a constant sense of pressure. There are few potential red-herrings to be distracting. The combat is well-suited to the levels of characters required, even those PCs of very average stats. The items found in the module are appropriate both in value and usefulness. We found Serpent in the Fold to be one of the few modules that do for us what we try to do when we sit down to make our own adventures. However, this is definitely not a stand-alone and really must be run in this campaign world to avoid having to make major alterations to fit it into most worlds. This, for us, is a major drawback as we tend to run independently conceived campaigns.

Mage's note: I am looking forward to running it soon, as I love all serpent-related plotlines and hate players who think they know everything about a game world. Ghelspad will be all new to anyone in our area; a highly recommended change of scenery from the much-loved but too well known Forgotten Realms. I deducted a point from the total for a lack of thorough cross-referencing. I am a newcomer to the world of Ghelspad; our local gaming stores are small and haven’t carried SSS material. Thus, I am not entirely familiar with which reference book I need to learn more about the Veshian Vigil, for instance. It would be great to have this kind of information always present (at least for the first reference), since then I would know for certain which book(s) I need to special order. That being said, all critters and spells are so noted; hence only a small deduction.

FINE POINTS :
- easy to read and execute with minimal preparation
- creative and interesting, even for jaded players
- suited for lower level (3rd and 4th) PCs
- emphasis on role-playing and intrigue
- great attention to detail and much thought put into responding to typical player actions
- easy to access information for combat and role-play on the fly
- definitely designed for use within the Scarred Lands millieu

TOTAL SCORE : A (42/50) A really nice module all over, set in a well-designed world, for 3rd and 4th level characters. A round-trip that conveniently ends where it started with an adventure that places equal emphasis on problem-solving and combat. Within the Scarred Lands millieu, this is an A+ module.

 

[ced1106]

>> How is this different?

'Cuz it's the PCs who are being hit by the (equivalent of) a Charm spell! Remember: PCs can dish it out, but that doesn't mean they'll take it!

Forcing a player to roleplay a particular way is, IMO, dangerous territory. If you have sophisticated roleplayers who can do this, it's obviously not a problem. But I've met plenty an immature player who refused to behave in any manner that was not beneficial to his PC, including forced roleplaying.


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[gambler1650]

In my reviews I rarely give 1's, just as I rarely give 5's. While production qualities matter, the content is what determines a final rating. Good pictures or unique ideas won't save a product from a poor review, but it might push a good one slightly higher. Functionality first, then the flash if you please. Price is also generally taken into consideration. A quick summary of my personal ratings:

1 - Lazy, incomplete, shoddy effort. So disgusted I'm likely only to open it again to review it.
2 - Below average. Not completely unhappy I bought it since it probably has some good ideas.
3 - Average/Good. I got approximately what I expected in terms of content and quality. No major flaws and useful.
4 - Very Good. I got more than I expected. Inspired me enough to think about using it down the road.
5 - Excellent. The cream of the industry. I immediately want to use it somewhere. Excellent production values.

This is not a playtest review.


Finally! A true module in the Scarred Lands setting! Sure, there had been small adventure vignettes in some of the area sourcebooks, and a couple of smaller adventures in the DM Screen Companion but this is the first true module to come out, and not only that it's part of a four module set (if you count the free prelude, The Serpent Amphora). In some ways the lack of modules didn't really jump out at me, because lots of ideas tend to come to my mind when reading the Campaign Setting: Ghelspad or any of the area sourcebooks. Still, it's nice to see what the 'official' look of an adventure would be. So... Without further ado.

PRODUCTION QUALITY: For a module, the production quality is generally above average. The cover is dark and moody, showing a party of four adventurers surrounded by what look like goblins. The back is nothing special. There are maps on the inside covers and scattered throughout the book in the areas where they're needed. In general the maps are clear and easy to read, but they don't jump out as anything exciting. Additionally, I think I would have preferred all the maps to be at the back of the book in one place, though perhaps it works better when it's right in the section you're using. Time will tell so I won't let that affect my final rating. There are a few black and white drawings throughout, and most are dark and moody like the cover, and well done. Whitespace isn't used as often as perhaps I'd like (not enough breaks between sections) but the font size is large enough to make up for any hardness on the eyes. One thing people will notice right away is that the shaded areas aren't flavor text (usually - one or two are, and it causes a bit of confusion). In fact, there's really no flavor text separated for the DM to read to the players, which will require a bit more preparation and care when running the adventure. Sometimes flavor text is present, but it's with the rest of the information, not set apart. Overall however, the module has a polished and professional look to it.

Production Quality Rating: 4


CONTENT: (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD)

A brief synopsis of the adventure is that the PCs are tasked with discovering more about the Serpent Amphora which they (or another group if they didn't go through the events of the free prelude) recovered. All that's known is its connection to Mormo's (a defeated Titan) demise at the hands of Chardun (a god). The PCs are told to seek out information from the sages in Hedrad. Doing so strengthens their connection to the Vigils of Vesh, a powerful ally to have indeed... Well, on the way, one of the gods' heralds shows up and tells the characters they're going to the wrong place (after experiencing some of the wilderness of the Scarred Lands). Instead the information they seek is in the Sky Keep in the Keldar mountains (the Sky Keep being a fallen city that used to float in the sky). So they go there and have encounters along the way, and then enter the 'dungeon' portion of the adventure, including a final confrontation with some of Mormo's followers who are attempting to gain access to a Tome which might have the information they seek. On the way back, they discover that treachery and Mormo's followers have preceded them and are in the process of attempting to steal the Amphora, and this situation must be resolved, at which point this part of the adventure ends.

There are many things to like in this adventure. The PCs (and DMs for that matter) get used, very quickly, to the fact that the gods are not merely beings to pray to for spells, but rather take an almost direct interest in the world around them, especially with important events. The PCs get to travel over varied areas of the Scarred Lands which are almost as dangerous as any of the creatures they might find within them. There are multiple groups of Mormo's followers, some with the same agendas, some with different ones. At the moment, the PCs will most likely be unaware of the multiple groups. There are encounters with extremely powerful beings, including enemies, but set up in such a way that the PCs won't have to fight them directly (think along the lines of a being underestimating a party, and so swatting them in passing like they would a fly and assuming that they're taken care of). The writing is entertaining for the DM. There's intrigue both external and even internally among the PCs allies.

There are a couple of things not to like about the adventure. There are at least two places where the whole adventure can completely come unhinged. Fortunately one of them is at the end of the book and so if that happens, the DM can either scrap the latter two adventures, or have another adventuring party do the deed necessary to set things up at the start of the second module. The event that happens in the middle of the adventure is somewhat more vexing though. Simply put, the module assumes that the group going against the players for the Tome in the Sky Keep are quite well prepared and intelligent. This is very nice, and something that's realistic, but unfortunately there's no way for the players to realize how prepared they are and therefore might find themselves coming away empty handed. A clever DM could find a way around it (and not so clever ones too, as I have a few ways I'd run the encounter to give hints), but the DM might be required to use another adventuring party to recover the Tome, in the same way I described for the end of the adventure. The later modules in the series have sections called "Troubleshooting" for such areas, giving alternative paths to take if the adventure becomes derailed, and that would have been very helpful here. Additionally, the module isn't really organized in a way to be DM friendly. The maps being scattered is debateable, but while most DMs rarely read the "flavor text" in grey boxes verbatim, it's still nice to have.

END SPOILERS

Content Rating: 4 (Very evocative of the Scarred Lands, well written and with an interesting mix of encounters. Some pitfalls for an inexperienced group, and little information on how to get around those pitfalls)


CONCLUSION:

Overall Rating: 4 (Solid first module for the Scarred Lands setting)

Adventure Module Ratings (Not included in the overall score)

For a Beginning DM: 3 (Scattered maps may be a problem, no flavor text boxes and some potential pitfalls)

For Beginning Players: 3 (A lot of potential pitfalls and dangerous encounters that the players might not handle correctly if they just charge in swinging.)

Completeness of Adventures: 5/3 (The number before the slash represents the score if the players don't fall prey to some of the derailing elements, the number afterwards means that in the case of a derailment the DM is given little direction).