The Root of All Evil

[Messageboard Golem]

The Root of all Evil is a great introductory module for Kalamar. I was a bit dissapointed in the massive Kalamar source book as I thought it was a dry read and really only worked if you play in their kingdom. This module makes me feel tremendously better about Kenzer's future releases. My players are all already too high level for this module but if they were not a would tweak it a bit and run it in my campaign world. It is a great story with really good characters.
The scene is well laid out and will challange the PCs well if they are of an appropriate level for the adventure (which is beggining level).
One of the better things about this module are the handout pics that are given to present to the players and various junctures. This is a great idea. I think it has been done before but I can't remember when so I will say it is an original concept amongst the d20 releases. They call this ImageQUEST and I like it!!!
Internal maps are solid and the artwork ranges from fair to very good. I like the cover art and the production value is above average as well.

Summary- This is a great introductory module for fledgling DM's or DMs who are starting a new Kalamar based campaign. It could be transposed easily to any other world with only minor modifications.

Even though I did not actually get to run this adventure I could not find anything glaringly wrong so I give this module a superb rating as it is really a great start for Kalamar based adventures.

 

[Tuerny]

Warning: This review contains plotline spoilers.


The Root of All Evil is the first in Kenzer and Company's line of d20 modules. Written for a group of four to six first level charachters, it is set in the Reanaaria Bay area of Tellene, in the Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting. The setting is not mandatory for this particular adventure however, and is easily placed in any setting that has a large; trade based city and a jungle. It is priced at $12.99

Plot Outline

The Root of All Evil begins simply enough, with the PCs being hired by the wizard Veoden to recover mithral from the area of a reputed meteor crash. Things become more complicated quickly. To get to the meteor they have to do some friendly grave robbing, destroying the undead remains of its last owner's corpse. Once they arrive they learn that someone has beaten them there, and is using the mithral to forge an enchanted coin, known as the Coin of Power. They can either question the enslaved alchemist, named Arowain, forging the coin or explore some local goblin caves. Once they gain information from Arowain, the wizardess Daresh shows up, grabs the hot coin, which results in it merging into her hand, and, before teleporting away, fires a bolt of black energy that results in Arowain suffering a mortal wound. Arowain begs them to stop her before she enslaves nations using the power of the Coin. Assuming the PCs return with the mithral, Veoden thanks them and asks them to investigate the disappearence of his friend Arowain the alchemist in the same area as where the meteor disappeared. If they tell him what has happened and the alchemist's warning he directs them to Zoa where they can work to find the wizard Geolain who has the knowledge to find the alchemist Halaan who knows how to stop the wizardess. He recommends they take a ship.

Assuming they follow his suggestions, the sea voyage is rather eventful with the potential to encounter saughin, a sea serpent, pirates, and an abandoned ship filled with undead. Zoa itself is as calm as a city of forty-nine thousand can be, with ample oppurtunities to run afoul with thieves. Geolain wants the PCs to recover some valuable books from an anti-magic orginization known as the Sentinels of the True Way. This requires a limited amount of investigation combined with combat on the PC's part. After returning the books to Geolain, he draws them a map to Halaan's last location: on the shores of the Reelio Jungle. He reccomends they travel by sea. Unlike the sea voyage to Zoa, the sea voyage to the Reelio Jungle is relatively uneventful.

Following the map results in the PCs arriving at a large, ruined castle. Through exploration they can discover that the castle served as a pirate castle before its fall to cannibal headhunters. Halaan led an expedition here before abandoning it to explore the interior. He left a divination scroll to allow whoever follows him to find him. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, the PCs never have to use it. Soon after the PCs find the scroll the entire castle comes under attack by the same cannibal headhunters who wiped out the remains of Halaan's expedition. After a frenzied battle against them, using the aid of a small group of somewhat friendly tribesmen, the Belsona. After the cannibal's defeat, they insist that the PCs travel with them to their village and help to defeat a great evil that represses them. They do not take no for an answer. At the village they discover that this aid involves solving a riddle that will allow them to control a stone golem to use against the cannibals. They also find Halaan, who has been here since the Belsona rescued him from the cannibals. Assuming the PCs can solve the riddle than Halaan and the PCs can leave the tribesmen in good terms and return to Zoa.

Presentation
The Root of All Evil, a standard laminated, stapled, booklet, is sixty-four pages long. The inside covers have maps on them. The margins are partially white and partially marbled and are an inch wide.

The cover illustration, by Hung Vinh Mac, depicts the alchemist Arowain hunched over a forge working on the Coin of Power. In the background stands the wizardess, Daresh, looking upon it with studied interest. The interior artwork is comprised of miniaturized versions of the module's ImageQuest illustrations found at the back of the module. They mostly depict scenes and creatures to be shown to the players.

There are a plethora of maps in the modules, as is sensible for a module with such a variety of locations. Each of them is informative and flavorful, matching the tone of the area with enough information to make them useful for their purpose. The DM maps are each gridded and scaled, with the physical features of the mapped area apparent on the map.

Overview

The bulk of The Root of All Evil details the adventure, but space is also provided for the standard Introduction, Synopsis, Background, and Adventure Hooks. Frequent sidebars provide additional flavor to what is going on in the adventure. The Appendixes provide NPC Statistics, a summary of special attacks and qualities, and a Zoa random encounter table. Interstingly enough for an adventure, a glossary is also included. The module ends with sixteen pages of ImageQuest illustrations.

Analysis
The Root of All Evil is a meaty module, compactly filled with material that makes running the adventure easier. From the ImageQUEST drawings to be presented to the PCs, to the detailed optional encounters, to the quality maps, to the Zoa random encounter tables The Root of All Evil seems to do what most modules should do make the GM's job much, much easier. It handles the start of an epic storyline well, providing reasonable explanations as to why more pwoerful NPCs do not intervene, while still administring suitable challanges for an adventure of this scope. Most importantly of all it feels like it is worth its cover price. If the GM chooses to use all of the information provided within, it could easily take twelve to fifteen hours to complete the module.

On the down side it does include information that has been presented elsewhere. Despite the fact that Zoa is expanded on, it repeats most of the information presnted in the Kingdoms of Kalamar sourcebook on the city again. Some of the encounters, particularly the fifty-one cannibal tribesmen who attack the castle, could prove to be overwhelming to inexperienced and experienced players alike. Also there is some contradiction as to the powers of the Coin of Power. The item's description says it provides two additional charachter levels to the weilder. The text of the adventure says it doubles the weilder's power. Finally, despite the amount of things that go on within it, it is not really a complete adventure. Its conclusion is not very conclusive, and it leads many ends unresolved (which I assume are resolved in the next module, Forging Darkness).

Conclusion
Root of All Evil is a strong, eventful introduction to the Kingdom of Kalamar line. It proves that Kenzer and Company can handle modules as well as it hands setting material, and provides an exciting introduction to the Kalamar setting. If you plan on running Kingdoms of Kalamar, or have an apprecation for packed adventures, than I reccomend this adventure. If you are turned off by the fact that you will probably have to purchase the adventure's sequel to get closure than you might want to stay. Regardless, Root of All Evil is a good module, and provides a good example of everything that Kenzer is capable of using the Dungeons and Dragons system.

 

[Messageboard Golem]

Wow! What a way to introduce player's to the Kalamar setting! The Root of All Evil is a must have for Kalamar fans. The adventure is for beginning level PCs. The plot is solid, the NPC's are well thought out and interesting, and the layout of the module makes the adventure easy to run. This is only the first part of a three part series with the other two parts, Forging Darkness and Coin's End, already in stores.

The inside artwork is good although it's black and white. The Imagequest player handouts are a great addition and really helped the player's visualize what's happening. I hope Kenzer keeps up the trend with future modules.

As stated in my review of the Kalamar setting, this module delivers what was promised. Included is a detailed map of the City-State of Zoa, a few regional maps, and of course the adventure maps. A new magic item is also detailed. The only disappointment was the lack of a map for Haanex, the small hamlet where the adventure takes place.

What sold me was the encounter table...how's this...you roll a 1d10,000!! Yep, you read it right, a 1d10,000! The chart lists several different regions of the Reanaaria Bay and the creatures, etc. that would be encountered in those areas. I think the chart alone is worth buying the module.

Overall, this is a great module that was loads of fun to play. I highly recommend this adventure even if you don't use the Kalamar setting. With a little work, it'll fit nicely into any campaign.

 

[Messageboard Golem]

For disclosure I have to say that I have not actualy bought this adventure. High reviews i have read here however have tempted me and I have spent a good 45 minutes or so reading it (fortunately I am enough of a regular at my game store for them not to begrudge me things like that).

First of all, I do not like Kalamar setting, while I am definitely up for everything that it was supposed to contain - low magic, detailed cultural descriptions, politics (after all I am a great fan of Birthright) I can describe it most charitably as bland. Same holds for this module. One of the reasons is definitively a bad prose that makes the adventure (and a setting book) a chore to read. other might be the ilustrations that range from mildly bad to just bellow average. third is probably the maps which, just like the prose, have absolutely no atmosphere to them just pure information. However most important reason is that probably nothing has been written in this adventure that has not been done (and better) before. Villains are absolutely schematic and the plot is overdone. Motivations of just about everyone are less then believable.

What does not help is that the price of this adventure is almost twice that of the regular one for about 10% more text. Most of the rest are pictures to be shown to the players in the tradition reminiscent of the original Tomb of Horrors. Idea that is not bad out of itself (provided that it does not increase the price dramaticaly) but here fails for a simple reason that the ilustrations are not good enough to actualy bring the atmosphere to the scene and are not needed as the visual clues as they are in the ToH.

All in all, I gave this one a pass after a fairly long inspection and, for benefit of those who may not have a possibility to perform such an inspection, am adding my voice against purchasing it.

 

[Messageboard Golem]

This exciting book is the first role-playing adventure module set in the newest 3rd Edition Dungeons and Dragons campaign world, The Kingdoms of Kalamar. The epic story begins in the northern country of Shynabyth where the players are assembled to find the remnants of a meteor said to be made of the rare substance mithril. However, what they uncover is a plot to construct a powerful magic relic. Unfortunately the artifact is a tool for wickedness and the players soon find themselves on a quest to Reanaaria Bay to find the means to destroy the evil item and its insidious master before she destroys them.

The Root of All Evil is an official 3rd Edition D&D adventure for 1st level characters.

 

[Sayburr]

Spoilers may be contained within the paragraphs below.




Again, I don't want to write too much because so much has been said already.

This is a great starting adventure and helps understand more about the Kalamar setting. It can be removed from Kalamar and set within another world with an average amount of work. You have seen the praising reviews given above and I agree with everything that is said.

I also have some problems with this adventure that keeps me from rating it as high as they did. First, the players are railroaded at the at one point so that the story can not continue unless the players are all inside a cabin so a lot of prewritten script can be read. Then the villain kills the person in the cabin, but the players are not actually given a good reason to chase down and stop the villain.

The characters went to the cabin and then returned to the man who sent them and told him what happened at the cabin, but they really had no motivation to proceed with the adventure.

Other than this section, the adventure is excellent and mostly well written. This was converted from 2e and there are some conversion problems with the first printing of the module.

Overall, my players and I enjoyed the module. It was good and worth the price paid. I recommend it to others if they are playing a Kalamar campaign. If you are thinking about getting it to run in another campaign world, I would say it is average. I am giving this a 4 star good rating though, since we played it in the Kalamar setting.

 

[Messageboard Golem]

Bruce Boughner, Staff Reviewer d20 Magazine Rack and Co-host of Mortality Radio

Caution: This review contains adventure spoilers...

Sizing Up the Target
The Root of All Evil is a 68-page softcover adventure published by Kenzer & Co. The author is Andy Miller. The cover is done by Hung Vinh Mac, interior art is by Storn Cook, Arnie Swekel and Brad McDevitt and is available for $12.99

First Blood
When Kalamar first came out, I was ecstatic, here was the first ‘official’ world published by a non-TSR/WotC company since Judges Guild folded and Mayfair lost the licensing. I mean after all, they do Knights of the Dinner Table! But sadly I was disappointed with their Kingdom of Kalamar book and turned away from their products (except for Hackmaster). Having received this one I decided to dig in and see if I was in error.
The Root of All Evil is a beginner’s adventure for up to six characters first level characters, ok so it’s a starting point module. One of my biggest complaints is that there are not enough beginning or high-level adventures on the market. And it promises to take your characters from first to third level. It is based in the Reanaaria Bay area of Tellene and is part of a trilogy with Forging Darkness and Coin’s End.
The story starts with the legend of the Falling Star, many sought it out but few ever returned from their quest for it. After a hundred years, it has become legend on its way to myth until a sage proves that stars are made from mithril. A badly wounded man was found recently, claiming to have found the star, guarded by wizards and monsters, he had a map, handed down form father to son, now buried with him. He was found with pieces of a silvery material that no smith could forge. A retired wizard, Veoden, has learned of the legend and the map and seeks hardy souls to search it out. Now the hunt is on once more!
Veoden hires your party to first, seek out the map of Dairoo in a cemetery haunted by undead and then find the Fallen Star. Investigating a mysterious valley (impact crater) with a large boulder in the center and a shack emanating a mysterious glow. The glow is from the Alchemist, Arowain, who lives in the shack, a wizard, Daresh, is forcing him to create a powerful artifact, The Coin of Power. Daresh kills Arowain, who tells the party that only the wizard Halaan can destroy the coin now. In order to find Halaan, Veoden sends them to Zoa to seek out the wizard/sage Geolain for more information.
Geolain’s price is of course a quest in and of itself, to retrieve a book that is to be destroyed by the secret cabal called the Sentinels of the True Way. Uponing securing his price, Geolain informs the group Halaan went on an expedition to the Reelio Jungle months before and has yet to return.
Given a map of Halaan’s probable location, the group must set out to find not only him, but, the ingredients necessary to construct another Coin of Power to destroy the first.
Several adventure hooks are given to draw reticent or headstrong players into the fray. The text of the module is interspersed with sidebar pieces of artwork or pertinent information.
The adventure runs the gamut of encounters, undead, goblins, pirates, oceanic undead, thieves and pickpockets. The last half of the booklet is given over to detailed NPC and encounter descriptions, encounter charts and some well-done illustrations and maps to show to the party during the adventure.

Critical Hits
The Root of All Evil is a definite good first adventure for low-level characters and I must admit that I was selling Kalamar short. The adventure does flow well and is fast paced with a goodly number of hazards for the party to face along the way.

Critical Misses
The text is very hard to read given the font type. This is probably why I had such a hard time with their world book. It strained my eyes and made me sleepy. Recognizing this I will go back over the campaign world book one more time and re-evaluate it.

Coup de Grace
This is a starter for a new party. With a little work it can be adapted into your own world or take your adventurers to Kalamar.

To see the graded evaluation of this product, go to Fast Tracks at www.d20zines.com.

 

[Scarogoth]

Presumably, you are not the same "d20 Magazine rack" (how odd that looks), who evaluated the Kalamar Campaign Setting as 5/5 Superb, then? (Only teasing... I'm sure you're just the shelf below, or something. )

I've been playing this module too, and would also like to recommend it as a module for first-time DMers, as well as low-level characters. There are one or two errata available from the Kenzer site somewhere, that tweak one or two of the stat blocks.

 

[Messageboard Golem]

Same d20 Magazine Rack but different reviewer. We now have a staff of four different reviewers plus an occasional guest review. ;-)