Sons of Gruumsh - an ongoing review - MAJOR SPOILERS!
- Thread starter MerricB
- Start date
Part 4: Flight or Fight
The final 1.5 pages of the adventure! It is assumed here that the adventurers can move faster than the orcs. I hope the PCs brought horses! (If they didn't, they might end up in a cookpot). The DM is referred to the random encounter table for part 2 for encounters on the way back. There are no set encounters for the crossing of Thar.
Incredibly, there's a page xx reference here. At least, in a 32 page adventure, there's not far to search.
Once the PCs have returned to Melvaunt, it's rewards and party time. What is nice about this is the traitor in the noble houses teams up with the angry orcs from the citadel and tries to ambush the party (and his father and rescued brother) at a dinner party. What's not so nice is that it is an EL 10 encounter. The PCs may well be 6th level by now, but that's still very close to a TPK level. OTOH, they should be rested, and have a couple of magical rewards that will help. Hmm. Tread carefully, DM!
The adventure ends with possible developments from the adventure. Did the PCs leave the orc priest alive? Then the ritual may still happen. Did they escape and not defeat the ambush party? The orcs still want to get them!
One thing about this adventure: it is not railroaded.
Appendix
Four pages of stats: for allies, villains, and eight types of orc. These are in the old format, although languages are given for each character. (Just as well). I'm not John Cooper, so I have no idea if the stats are right.
For reference, here are the orc types:
Mountain Orc - Barbarian 2
Orc Archer - Warrior 2
Orc Berserker - Barbarian 1
Orc Brute - Barbarian 1
Orc Raider - Rogue 2/Barbarian 1
Orc Sergeant - Fighter 3
Orc Spearfighter - Fighter 2
Orc Warrior - Warrior 1
Merric's Conclusion:
Sons of Gruumsh is a solid adventure, with a wonderful range of adventuring environments. It's not as forced in its transitions as Whispers of the Vampire's Blade, but it is a challenging adventure. If you have a hack'n'slash party, then 6th or 7th level PCs may find the orc citadel quite amusing.
Translating it from one setting to another does not appear at all difficult, although it is putatively a Forgotten Realms adventure. The primary pieces of Realmsian lore can be found in Melvaunt, which effectively uses the scheming of the nobles to add colour and challenges, without overwhelming the DM with too much detail.
I'd have liked just one or two more areas of "weird and wonderful" in the citadel, and I'm concerned about how difficult that stage of the adventure might be.
However, I'm almost certain to use this adventure in my Ulek campaign, replacing the Zhentarim envoys with Priests of Chaos, and adding another thread to the plot.
The final verdict: 4/5. This adventure is worth looking at.
The final 1.5 pages of the adventure! It is assumed here that the adventurers can move faster than the orcs. I hope the PCs brought horses! (If they didn't, they might end up in a cookpot). The DM is referred to the random encounter table for part 2 for encounters on the way back. There are no set encounters for the crossing of Thar.
Incredibly, there's a page xx reference here. At least, in a 32 page adventure, there's not far to search.
Once the PCs have returned to Melvaunt, it's rewards and party time. What is nice about this is the traitor in the noble houses teams up with the angry orcs from the citadel and tries to ambush the party (and his father and rescued brother) at a dinner party. What's not so nice is that it is an EL 10 encounter. The PCs may well be 6th level by now, but that's still very close to a TPK level. OTOH, they should be rested, and have a couple of magical rewards that will help. Hmm. Tread carefully, DM!
The adventure ends with possible developments from the adventure. Did the PCs leave the orc priest alive? Then the ritual may still happen. Did they escape and not defeat the ambush party? The orcs still want to get them!
One thing about this adventure: it is not railroaded.
Appendix
Four pages of stats: for allies, villains, and eight types of orc. These are in the old format, although languages are given for each character. (Just as well). I'm not John Cooper, so I have no idea if the stats are right.
For reference, here are the orc types:
Mountain Orc - Barbarian 2
Orc Archer - Warrior 2
Orc Berserker - Barbarian 1
Orc Brute - Barbarian 1
Orc Raider - Rogue 2/Barbarian 1
Orc Sergeant - Fighter 3
Orc Spearfighter - Fighter 2
Orc Warrior - Warrior 1
Merric's Conclusion:
Sons of Gruumsh is a solid adventure, with a wonderful range of adventuring environments. It's not as forced in its transitions as Whispers of the Vampire's Blade, but it is a challenging adventure. If you have a hack'n'slash party, then 6th or 7th level PCs may find the orc citadel quite amusing.
Translating it from one setting to another does not appear at all difficult, although it is putatively a Forgotten Realms adventure. The primary pieces of Realmsian lore can be found in Melvaunt, which effectively uses the scheming of the nobles to add colour and challenges, without overwhelming the DM with too much detail.
I'd have liked just one or two more areas of "weird and wonderful" in the citadel, and I'm concerned about how difficult that stage of the adventure might be.
However, I'm almost certain to use this adventure in my Ulek campaign, replacing the Zhentarim envoys with Priests of Chaos, and adding another thread to the plot.
The final verdict: 4/5. This adventure is worth looking at.
Eye Tyrant
First Post
Merric-
First of all great review! I had been curious about this one since I first heard about it. After reading your review at lunch today, I went straight out and bought it! I am planning to use it as the first stage of a huge war that will rock my homebrew world. I have just started this new campaign and I am still developing the regions of the world, but I do have a Mordor-esque wasteland where the citadel will be found. I plan on using my version of Easterlings in place of the Zhents. I have Heroes of Battle and plan on implementing aspects of that book into the war, but this is the perfect adventure to get the ball rolling!
Does this adventure give you the same dark, LotR feel that I get from it? It screams OD&D to me, which is great.
Great job, I will be checking back to see what else you have to say about it.
First of all great review! I had been curious about this one since I first heard about it. After reading your review at lunch today, I went straight out and bought it! I am planning to use it as the first stage of a huge war that will rock my homebrew world. I have just started this new campaign and I am still developing the regions of the world, but I do have a Mordor-esque wasteland where the citadel will be found. I plan on using my version of Easterlings in place of the Zhents. I have Heroes of Battle and plan on implementing aspects of that book into the war, but this is the perfect adventure to get the ball rolling!
Does this adventure give you the same dark, LotR feel that I get from it? It screams OD&D to me, which is great.
Great job, I will be checking back to see what else you have to say about it.
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Anyone else find it odd that this product uses the old stat blocks, while Fane uses the new stat blocks?
Ant
First Post
Curse your excellent review, Merric and curse that sexy Lockwood cover!
You crushed my resolve -- I picked up my copy today and, like yourself, this was the first FR product I'd purchased in a long time. I returned to my true love, Greyhawk, some time ago.
I'm planning on sending my second gaming group through this when they manage to scrimp together enough xp.
I'd be very interested to glean more Greyhawk conversion tips, Merric. The Pomarj is nice this time of year ....
You crushed my resolve -- I picked up my copy today and, like yourself, this was the first FR product I'd purchased in a long time. I returned to my true love, Greyhawk, some time ago.
I'm planning on sending my second gaming group through this when they manage to scrimp together enough xp.
I'd be very interested to glean more Greyhawk conversion tips, Merric. The Pomarj is nice this time of year ....
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
Olgar Shiverstone said:
Either one of two things going on here.
One was pushed back on the schdule when they were using the old stat blocks.
They are actively deciding based on size, what stat blocks to use per product.
JoeGKushner said:
Indeed. I'd like to know the answer.
After using the new stat blocks for a while, while they do require slightly more space, I find them significantly clearer.
I would expect Sons of Gruumsh was in development longer than, say, Fane of the Drow, which does use the new statblock format.
Cheers!
Thomas Percy
First Post
Fantastic work, MerricB. Thanks a lot.
I made a link to this review at the most popular Polish D&D discussion forum.
I made a link to this review at the most popular Polish D&D discussion forum.
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