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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2010290" data-attributes="member: 18387">By Glenn Dean, Staff Reviewer d20 Magazine Rack*** Warning – Possible Spoilers ***Sizing up the TargetThe Grey Citadel is a 112-page d20 adventure published by Necromancer Games and Sword & Sorcery Studios. Written by Nathan Douglas Paul, this product includes maps and black-and-white illustrations in a softcover print format and retails for $19.95.First BloodThe Grey Citadel is an adventure designed for a party of four to six 5th level characters, though the adventure may be scaled for parties of 3rd through 7th level. The adventure includes both site- and event-based encounters in an extended module that combines city-based investigation with dungeon adventuring. Characters completing the adventure should rise to approximately 8th level, depending upon the number of encounters and the Games Master’s method of awarding experience points.The adventure takes place in the city of Dun Eamon – the Grey Citadel – a walled frontier city located on an island in the middle of a river. The city is dark and foreboding, shrouded in a continual overcast – the perfect setting for a series of dark adventures. The adventure includes a full city map, statistics for the prominent NPCs, as well as maps and detailed descriptions of the major areas of the city and those that PCs will likely visit during the course of the adventure. A few areas – like the Citadel itself – are left for the Games Master to develop as the campaign requires. Dun Eamon is set in no particular fantasy world, and follows most standard d20 fantasy conventions, so it should be easy to drop into any individual campaign setting (it does, however, provide the centerpiece for the Eamonvale mini-campaign setting, about which additional free information is provided at www.darkloch.com). An appendix provides a map of the wilderness area around Dun Eamon with a number of additional encounters and some adventures that may be used as side treks or additional plot hooks for the main adventure, though none of the wilderness areas are required for use with the main adventure.The adventure consists of three interlinked mysteries – the disappearance of a local wizard, increased thievery in the city, and an apparent infestation of minor demons. The PCs may be called upon to investigate any one or all of these events, along with at least one competing adventuring party that provides the PCs with some (un)friendly rivalry. The adventure comes with a tremendous number of local rumors that can be intertwined to build a background of mystery and suspense. As the party investigates, they will encounter a host of interesting characters, from city nobles to commoners – including notables such as a mad hatter and a 10-foot pole merchant – who can help or hinder them. There are some NPCs provided who can serve as hirelings or additional characters to fill out a party. Their help may be needed – as the investigation continues, the party will be faced with a series of event-based encounters as their opposition attempts to divert them from their quest. Some of these encounters are potentially quite difficult depending upon conditions (up to EL9 encounters).At some point – or perhaps at several points – the party’s investigation will lead down into the dungeons below the Citadel. In the four levels of dungeon below, the PCs can explore crypts, caves, sewers, an underground river, an ancient stronghold, and eventually come face-to-face with the powers behind the mysterious events. Dungeon encounters include monsters, traps, environmental hazards, and a few puzzles. In a series of climactic encounters, the party can eventually solve the mysteries and make a name for themselves with the rules of Dun Eamon.With the exception of a few standard Core Rulebook III monsters, stat blocks are provided within each encounter for the majority of the encounters, which is a convenient feature for a GM running the adventure. Major NPCs are listed with complete statistics and background in an appendix, along with a number of new magic items. Also, a web-based expansion and additional campaign information are planned – keep an eye on www.necromancergames.com and www.darkloch.com for additional Grey Citadel features.Critical HitsThe Grey Citadel provides an outstanding combination of adventuring elements in a nicely balanced adventure. Necromancer Games promotes “Third Edition Rules, First Edition Feel”, which some detractors have come to think means an interminable, nonsensical dungeon crawl like some of the modules of old. This is certainly not the case with The Grey Citadel. There is a hint of nostalgia to the adventure – the party does some above ground investigating, heads into the dungeon for a spell, returns to the surface to pursue leads, and so on – but it occurs in a sensible environment with a reasonable back story, augmented by a great cast of non-player characters. The “rival adventuring party”, for example, is a great technique for maintaining interest and excitement among PCs.The best feature of the adventure is its balance of traditional dungeon exploration with event-based investigation and roleplay. Regardless of your preferred style of play, you’ll probably find elements of The Grey Citadel to your liking, and the blend of elements can make for a nicely paced adventure – just when the party tires of its city investigations, they can head into the dungeons to bash a few monsters and find some new leads. The city itself also has the potential to make a great base for future campaigning, and would be quite easy to adapt to almost any campaign world – it is almost a mini-campaign setting in itself (and certainly can be with the additional free information available online).Critical MissesThe Grey Citadel does have a few relatively minor flaws. Inexperienced GMs may find the adventure a bit challenging – balancing the pace of the tough event-based encounters to the party’s ability requires a bit of GMing judgment so as not to completely overwhelm the party. The adventure provides minimal read-aloud text, so the GM must work up descriptions of each area on his own, much like adventures of old – a feature I personally prefer, but that does require more work for the GM. Also, five of the city sites (areas H, I, O, P, and R) have detailed sub-areas but no maps provided. No combat is planned for those areas, so the maps are not strictly necessary, but if the GM needs them he or she will need to prepare them.There are a couple of minor errors in NPC stat blocks as well. Three major NPCs have the Ambidexterity feat without the proper ability prerequisite, for example, and two use weapons for which they lack the proper weapon proficiency feat, and the penalty is not calculated into their statistics. None of these NPCs is likely to be encountered in combat, however, so the errors will have no impact on play. The only error I noticed likely to affect play is in some of the Bolter thieves’ stat blocks, who have the Rapid Shot feat calculated into their statistics – except that they use crossbows, for which Rapid Shot does not apply. Coup de GraceThe Grey Citadel provides for an extended series of adventures in what is almost a mini-campaign setting. The adventure provides a healthy balance of role play, investigation, and traditional dungeon crawl, in a format the is Open Content with the exception of proper names. Though there are a few minor errors, most GMs should find the depth and variety in the product makes for a good dollar value, particularly if they are looking for a city from which to stage further campaign adventures.To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments that the reviewer will respond to, go to Fast Tracks at <a href="http://www.d20zines.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=&topic=4" target="_blank">www.d20zines.com.</a></blockquote>

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