The Tide of Years

[Messageboard Golem]

At the time of this review, there has been a dozen votes for this product with an average score of 2.5 (EDIT: back when this database used votes). I couldn't believe it!

I get the feeling that the low ratings are due to this module's use of time travel. It seems to me that if you have no aversion to this theme, you should find the adventure to be about a 4.

Let's break things down and see what Tide of Years has to offer. I would love to read a review from someone who didn't like this adventure to hear what his arguments are because I just don't get it.

* Fabulous presentation. The art is excellent. I can only describe the color used for the open gaming content boxes as a dirty pink. It looks good though.

* Besides the regular fair of monster encounters, the module also provides an abundance of supplementary material such as time domain spells. Out of 48 pages of small type, there are 3 pages describing an NPC priest, not only his stats but information on role playing him, what happens if the PCs provoke him, etc. Another 3 pages are devoted solely to another interesting personality. This is one characteristic of Atlas Games' D20 adventures that I appreciate. NPCs aren't just there to be killed, they have history and personality. Good role-playing opportunities.

* A nice Lost World sort of feel ala Isles of Dread. There are no maps of the wilderness but that's not a problem as far as I'm concerned. Many of fighting encounters can be run whenever the DM feels is appropriate, which isn't too hard to judge.

* Lots of hooks for future adventures here. *SPOILER* In order to return the artifact back to its rightful owner, the party will have to travel back in time. However, how do they get back to their own time without it? This problem isn't addressed in the module (it just assumes the owners can transport the party back), but I can see a whole campaign about the PCs trying to return to their own time. Also, as a (clever) possible reward for returning the artifact, the module suggests letting each PC rewrite one personal past event. I found this very imaginative, and again, a source of many future adventure hooks...

 

[Simon Collins]

Beware! This review contains major spoilers.

The Tide Of Years is an adventure module for characters of 4th-6th level. It costs $10.95.

Production & Presentation: This is a softcover 48-page module. The front cover is an unusual piece of colour artwork. The back cover introduces the module and outlines its features. The front and back inside covers are blank. The first two pages contain contents and credits, the last is an Atlas Games Order Form (most of the penultimate page is OGL bumf). There are two serviceable maps in the module – a ½ page cross-section of the temple and a more detailed map across the central pages. The text is well-defined and clear, making it easy to read. The text takes up about three-quarters of each page in a familiar two-column layout – the edge of each page is bordered by a tapestry-style drawing with an Indian flavour – the pages at the chapter beginnings are only 2/3 text in one column only. There are several pieces of varying pencil-sketch internal black & white artwork, though I felt that a couple of the David Interdonato sketches were superb.

The Story: The module is split into four chapters. Chapter One: The Spirit Of Lagueen (10 pages) gives an historical background to the (now) lost nation of Lagueen, which possessed a time-travel device in the form of a crystal. The nation languished and disappeared after the crystal was stolen, the temple to the time god Ras’Tan covered by a lake. The thief, trailed by a priest of the Lagueen time god, disappears into the future – the present day of the PCs! The PCs are travelling through a forest that appears unnaturally ancient when the ghost of the Lagueen Time priest approaches them – he drowned when he and the thief appeared in the temple in the present-day context - the temple is now an underwater ruin (though the priest does not know and refuses to accept that he is dead, believing that he is out of synch with time). He seeks the PCs help to return Lagueen to its former glory by sending the crystal back to its original time. The rest of the chapter contains information on Ras’Tan, a new Clerical Domain (Time) and new cleric spells related to Time. In Chapter Two: Preparations (10 pages) the PCs make their way towards the lake, beneath which is the time temple. They gain advice from the ghost of the priest. The forest through which they travel becomes more and more primeval due to the influence of the time crystal, and several types of dinosaur may attack them. They must then retrieve a temporal shard, a minor time device that will allow them access to the temple, from the cliff face in which it is embedded. The chapter concludes with an encounter with a nixie which may allow the PCs to breathe underwater if they play their cards right. There is also some boxed text outlining changes to perception underwater. Chapter Three: The Waters Of Time (18 pages) begins with the PCs moving beneath the surface of the lake, quickly attracting the attention of a couple of aquatic dinosaurs. A text box containing D20 information on underwater movement and combat is inserted at this point and some DM hints and tips for underwater adventuring on the following page. The module continues with a description of the outside of the temple, before moving on to the inside. Boxed text on water damage to objects is inserted here - there are several magical items that may still be recoverable throughout the temple. At the end of this chapter are a number of traps and monsters that can be used throughout the temple, including ingenious time traps and a Time Elemental, which is feeding from the temporal crystal the PCs are looking for. Chapter Four: Replacing The Temporal Crystal (5 pages) deals with the consequences of activating the temporal crystal. A section gives advice on rewards for completing the adventure and tips for integrating Lagueen into your own campaign world, Finally, there is a table detailing the challenge ratings and experience rewards of the creatures and traps of the adventure.

The High Points: The inclusion of a new domain and spells is obviously a bonus in an adventure module, and are well thought out. The encounter with the nixie gives good opportunity for roleplaying. The unusual setting and time-related traps and creatures are congruent and welcome additions to the adventure.

The Low Points: Though it does not necessarily suffer from the lack, there is no climactic combat or twisting plotline in this module. There seems to be a great deal of D20 rules, new and old, incorporated into the text, to deal with the unusual settings, which interrupts the flow of the adventure despite their necessity and usefulness. There is less adventure in here than you might think for a 48 page count.

Conclusion: I’m not a great fan of time travel or underwater adventures, but this was a well-written and thought-provoking adventure. I give it a Good rating as it has a plethora of creative and original ideas. It doesn’t seem to me to be immensely difficult to fit the adventure itself into my own campaign world, but dealing with the consequences of time travel after the end of the adventure is another story – you’ve got to be sure you’re ready to introduce this aspect into your games.

 

[Tuerny]

ISBN# 1887801987
Written by Michelle A. Brown Nephew
Published by Atlas Games
Originally reviewed by Jesse Dean on AtFantasy.com


The Tide of Years, written by Michelle A. Brown Nephew, is the fourth d20 module produced by Atlas Games. It is a stand-alone module, designed for four to six charachter of fourth to sixth level and is set in and around a lake containing a ruined temple dedicated to a Ras'tan the All-Knower, a god of time. It is a site-based adventure whose main focus is the efforts by the ghost of a priest of Ras'tan guiding the PCs in an effort to erase the past and restore the stolen Great Temporal Crystal to is proper place in the time stream. In order for this adventure to work the PCs must have a reason to be in a dense woodland and must be camped out on the southern bank of a large lake.

Plot Outline
The plot of the Tide of Years centers around a single event that destroyed Lagueen, a technologically advanced culture that used their knowledge of temporal magic and their possession of a powerful artifact, the Temporal Crystal, to increase the standard of living for its population. In the distant past a thief disguised as a priest of the Lagueen god of Time, Ras'tan, attempted to steal the Temporal Crystal. She failed due to the efforts of the priests, particularly an acoloyte known as Jonar. Unfortunately for everyone, this failure resulted in the Crystal being launced into a future where Langueen had fallen into ruin due to the loss of the crystal, with the valley that had been its home had become a lake. Jonar and the thief quickly drowned. Jonar rose as a ghost with the goal of correcting the wrong that had been committed. Jonar does not recognize the fact that he is no longer living, but rather that he is out of phase with the normal timestream. He realizes that he needs help to return the Temporal Crystal back to Lagueen. Enter the PCs.

As the PCs are camped out, Jonar approaches and introduces himself. He requests their aid in restoring the civilization of Lagueen. He offers the thanks of the nation and perhaps glorious treasures from the ruined temple as potential rewards. He also points out that the Crystal has obviously affected the local forest, reverting it into a more primitive state. If they refuse him then they are in trouble. As the first mortals that he has encountered after arising as ghost, he has unwittingly imprinted himself on them.He will haunt them until the theft is reversed, which will allow him to rest.

Assuming the PCs agree to go along with Jonar, he shares several useful bits of information with them. First, he tells them about Kyrielee, a nixie whose kiss will allow them to breathe underwater when approaching the temple. Next, he discusses the temple's floorplan, including locations of useful items. Finally, he tells them the location of a Temporal Shard, a reservoir of temporal energy which may be useful in dealing the the temporal energy that is affecting the area. Retrieving the Shard involves a harrowing climb down a cliff face to the location where it is embedded into the earth while fighting off a hawk. Dealing with Kyrielee is no easier, as she is rather difficult to negotiate with and insists (indirectly) on being charmed and flattered before she will give her kiss of water breathing.

While moving between these two places and the temple after them, the PCs risk encounters with several prehistoric beasts that have neem pulled into the present by the effects of the Crystal. Some of them ,such as the stirges, and digester, might be familiar to the charachters. Others, like the compsognathus and saber-toothed cat are less likely to be so. The final descent into the waters of the temple holds a similar threat, being the lair of an elamosaur and a icthyosaur. Luckily, for the PCs, they will focus on the PCs for no more than a few minutes before turnning all of their attentions to fighting off the other.

The temple itself is pyramid shaped structure with a single available entrance; the others were covered due to a landslide long ago. Within are a series of rooms filled with the ruined remains of what was once the Langueen center of culture surrounding the PCs goal, the Temporal Chamber. If they decide they want to head straight to it, and finish the adventure quickly, it is easy to do so. If they choose not to then the rest of the temple holds several dangers, in the form of giant acquatic water spiders and enviornmental hazards brought about by the Temporal Crystal. There are also several treasures, mainly a large number of scrolls and potions. The enviornmental hazards are of particular interest, due to both their uniqueness and the danger they present. The first is merely a form of kelp, known as Tangle Kelp, that can entrap the charachters for a period as well as causing mild damage from its acid. The second, Temporal Skids, are areas where that particular point only exists for a second every three to sixty minutes. It takes ten times that amount of time for an entrapped PC to escape. The last, Temporal Lags, are areas where time slows greatly for the person entrapped within, causing him to take three to sixty minutes to walk through an area that would normally only take a second. The Temporal Chamber holds the goal of the adventure, the Temporal Crystal, and the greatest danger of the adventure, a new monster called a Time Elemental.

After the PCs activate the Temporal Crystal it moves itself and everything within fifteen feet back to the moment in time that it was stolen. This allows for the ressurection of Jonar (whose body is within the radius) and a brieft visit by the PCs to the past where they are welcomed as heroes before being sent back to the present. Several possible options are given for the eventual results of the adventure, including the continued existance of Lagueen in an alternate timeline, Lagueen continuing to exist in modern times (but in a very discreet and hidden manner) and Lagueen deciding to move the entire river to an alternate plane. If a surviving Lagueen culture is added to the campaign setting in a non-discrete manner, the ramifications will be great. There will be many questions whose answers will help determine its effect on the world.

Presentation

The module, a standard laminated, stapled cardstock booklet, is fourty-eight pages long. The margins decipt and a mosiac of Lagueen and are generally 2" wide, though 3" margins are used in the introduction and at the start of each chapter.

The cover illustration is an illustrated piece showing a priest of Ras'Tan calling upon the power of the Temporal Crystal. The interior art includes several excellent illustrated scenes scattered throughout the module, including Jonar's arrival (though this one reveals the fact that he is not quite substantial) a cliff-side battle with a hawk, Kyrielee the nixie, swimming to the pyramid, and a battle with the Time Elemental.

A map of the temple, created using Profantasy's Campaign Cartographer software, is included with the module. Two versions of the map are present. One shows the standard aerial view of the rooms, and the other depicts a cross-sectional view of the temple, including which rooms are and are not flooded. A scale is provided but a hex or grid map is not.

Overview

The module is divided into four sections: The Spirit of Lagueen, Preperations, The Waters of Time, and Replacing the Temporal Crystal. Additionally it contains the d20 Liscense.


The Spirit of Lagueen serves as an introduction to the module, providing information needed to run the adventure as well as the vehicle for working the PCs into the adventure. It starts with an overview of the Lagueen, its rise through the harnessing of temporal energy, and its fall after the theft of the Temporal Crytsal. From there it provides the standard Atlas Games d20 module introduction. This gives an overview of the adventure and discusses the use of Campaign Cartograper 2 for the maps, as well as the Open Gaming Content. This section also contains the beginning of the adventure. Rounding things out are a new god, Rastan the All-knower; the clerical domain of Time; and several new time-related spells.

Preperations covers the outfitting of the group in preperation of an expedition into the drowned temple as well as the dangers involved. The bulk of the section details the prehistoric beasts that now wander the forest around the lake, in the form of a random encounter chart. Also detailed are the location and dangers of recovering the Temporal Shard and the negotiations required to get the kiss of the nixie Kyrielee.

The Waters of Time, the largest of the sections, details the lake and the ruined temple within it. This section of the module provides a summary of the d20 system underwater movement and combat rules, so that one does not need to refer to the Dungeon Master's Guide in order to run the adventure properly. In a manner unusual for a d20 module, traps, treasures and monsters, are all refrenced seperately from the room they are in. The individual room descriptions have nothing more than physical descriptions of the rooms and their previous foci. The details of the traps, treasures, and monsters are instead placed in seperate grey boxes or in a section called Hazards of the Temple after the room descriptions.

Replacing the Temporal Crystal discusses the ramifications, both potential and actual, of replacing the Temporal Crystal. The changes that are apparent to both players who are drawn into the past by the Temporal Crystal and those that remain in the past are described. Potential rewards are also discussed as are the well thought-out potential ramifications of Lagueen appearing in a campaign world. As an added bonus a Challange Rating and Experience table is provided, detailing the experience given to charachters of 4th, 5th, and 6th level for each of the potential encounters in the module.

The Good (i.e. what I liked)

The main strength of the Tide of Years is one that it shares with two of the other Atlas Games modules, Belly of the Beast and Three Days to Kill; an innovative plot which is clearly different from most of the modules out there. The inclusion of a the domain of Time and the new spells provides something that can easily be used in a campaign regardless of how the module turns out.

The Bad (i.e. what I did not like)

Their are two main weaknesses of the Tide of Years. The first is that the module's failure to mention dangers in specific rooms might result in GMs forgetting about them entirely, decreasing the overall challenge of the adventure. The second is the Time Elemental. It is a challanging encounter and could easily destroy most parties with its Hastening of Age slam. To be fair, though, this particular weakness is lessened by the fact it is not necessary to defeat the Time Elemental in order to successfully complete the adventure.

Conclusion

Overall, The Tide of Years is an innovative, interesting adventure that is easily portable to most campaign settings. If there is any reason to avoid it, it is the fact that it uses two things that some people find abhorant in an adventure; an acquatic enviornment and time travel. If you have no aversion for either of these than I reccomend this adventure.

 

[Messageboard Golem]

A nation falls into ruin when its most treasured artifact - a temporal crystal capable of controlling time itself - is stolen from its sacred altar. Only the guilt-ridden spirit of a dead priest remains to recover the priceless crystal and restore his people to their glory. A group of travelling heroes is his only hope, but they must brave perilous waters to reach the sunken temple where the crystal now lies, radiating a strange energy that has transformed the surrounding forest into a prehistoric landscape. Can they return the crystal to its rightful time? * An opening for GMs to introduce time travel into their campaigns, either as a one-time extraordinary experience or as an ongoing campaign theme * Time traps the players must think their way through, and dangerous new monsters* The new clerical Domain of Time.

 

[Messageboard Golem]

The Tide of Years is an adventure for characters of 4th to 6th level. It offers a GM an easy way to add time travel to his or her campaign, included are new spells, a new clerical domain and a new god. Also included are few new monsters, along with some interesting traps that deal with time. This adventure is broken up into four chapters as follows.

Chapter one deals with the story so far. This chapter has an adventure overview along with what is open gaming content and how to get the PCs involved. It also has most of the new information. This is where you will find information on the god of time along with the time domain, followed by five new time spells.


Chapter two deals with the PCs gathering what they need to finish the main adventure. In this part there are six random encounters including (one with a new monster) that help to enforce the time travel aspect of the adventure. There are two other encounters but depending on what the party has (magic items, spells, etc.) only one may be required to be completed. This chapter also has a brief review of underwater perception rules.


Chapter three is the core of the adventure. In this chapter you will find three new monsters and three new traps all dealing with time. Also included are rules for underwater movement and combat along with a table that allows you to apply a simple form of water damage to items. There is also a useful checklist for GMs to use, listing penalties for (movement, weapons, etc.). The two page map might be a little confusing until you get to the cross section nine pages later, although the description of the rooms does aid in understanding the map.

The last chapter deals with the conclusion of the adventure. This chapter is where the fun begins, allowing the GM to rewrite history or even add a complete city to their campaign world. The Gm can even open up an entirely new world for the PCs to explore. This chapter also has a list of all challenge ratings and encounter levels along with the experience totals of every thing in the module.

This adventure was well written (no typographical errors or mistakes) and the art is good. If you want to give your players a jaunt through time than this module is for you. However if you want a fully detailed time travel system this is not it. For a one time thing it is great with a few ideas for continuing time travel in your campaign and to keep your players on their toes.

 

[olshanski]

The criteria I use to evaluate a d20 adventure includes the following:

1. Interesting and varied encounters: I look for unique encounters, allowing for a variety of role and roll playing. There should be opportunities for many different classes to excel or use thier abilities.
2. Motivations for NPCs and Monsters: or some detail of how they interact with their environment or neighbors.
3. Logical: the adventure should obey a sense of logic that clever players can use to their advantage.
4. Writing Quality: this includes foreshadowing, mystery, and descriptions that bring locations and NPCs to life.
5. Ease of DMing: Clear maps, friendly stat blocks, skill check numbers, player handouts and illustrations.

MY OPINIONS AND PREJUDICES:
I don't give much weight to text density and cost per page... I'd rather pay a lot for a small clever mystery than pay a little for a huge repetitive monster bash. I don't give much weight to new monsters, prestige classes, and magic items... they can add a little variety to an adventure, but to me they are minor decoration.
I also believe that Dungeons and Dragons is not a contest of Players vs the DM, but rather the Players are trying to "conquer" a scenario with the DM acting as supporting cast and providing impartial decisions. I do not like adventures in which the DM is expected to adjust room content, monsters, and treasure on the fly. I do not like adventures in which players are rescued or helped by divine intervention or the intervention of powerful NPCs.


THE BASICS: (not exactly spoilers)
The adventure is 48 pages long, cover price of $10.95 American; I purchased on clearance from WOTC at 70% off.
3.5 pages of credits/legal/advertising
7 pages of adventure introduction and conclusion
4 pages of NPC motivation/description
13 pages of new rules/monsters/domains/traps
19 pages of adventure (outdoors, underground)

The adventure is designed for 4 characters of levels 4-6. There are suprisingly few encounters for the size of the book. The reason for the small number of encounters is mostly because a few encounters are very throroughly written, and there is a large volume of new rules. The encounter breakdown follows:
Approximately 3 role-play encounters. (non-combat interaction)
Approximately 3 combat encounters (which includes 1 of 6 wandering monsters)
Approximately 10 environment encounters (rooms, tricks, things to examine)

The adventure is fairly setting neutral but requires the addition of at least 1 god and one precursor civilization. The basic plot is an artifact recovery mission.

The adventure is written for edition 3.0. There are references to monsters, domains, and items which are completely new, all new material is fully explained. The adventure takes place in two main areas, An outdoor wilderness and an underwater temple.


THE SPECIFICS: (Some Spoilers Follow)

1. Interesting and varied encounters: (3/5) The non-combat encounters are very interesting and original. The combat encounters are fairly standard, with the exception of the underwater setting. Two early encounters: one on a cliff-side and one underwater, provide some interesting choices for the party. Many of the rooms in the later part of the adventure feel a little bit like filler, serving only as a backdrop for the climactic battle. There are very few class or skill-specific encounters--for example: there is little chance for rogues to disarm traps or sneak around; there are few places for druids or rangers to track or commune with nature; there are no undead for clerics to turn, nor evil for paladins to smite.

2. Motivations for monsters and NPCs: (4/5) Two very well fleshed out NPCs have excellent motivation and role-playing potential. One cliff-side encounter and one underwater encounter also contain good monster motivations.

3. Logical: (4/5) It is very difficult to grade something in terms of "Logical" when it involves time travel. Nothing stuck out as being hard to swallow. There were some spiders that might not have had an adequate food supply. Some of the new traps were unusual, but logical within the environment.

4. Writing Quality: (4/5) The writing is clear and eloquent. The stat blocks are easy to read.

5. Ease of DMing: (2/5) GOOD: The NPC encounters are brilliant and very easy for a DM to run. The stat blocks provide all the materials that the DM needs, immediately at their fingertips (without flipping to another book or to a monster appendix).

BAD: There is no wilderness map for the first half of the adventure. The map for the temple (the second half of the adventure) does not have a grid. There are no player handouts. There are MANY instances in which the DM is instructed to "help" the players by having a powerful NPC provide selective aid when the players get stuck. The vast number of new rules and traps require extra work on behalf of the DM. A few new rules appear extremely unbalanced: Consider that this was written for 3.0, a proposed cleric Time domain makes Haste available as a 2nd level domain spell. Another proposed trap has no saving throw and allows a 9th level caster to trap someone for 10-100 years (a 5th level caster can trap someone for 1-5 days).
I have an aversion to adventures where a powerful NPC tags along with the party and helps them when they get stuck.

FINAL WORD:

One particular NPC encounter (around page 20) was brilliant and will certainly find use in my campaign.
The rest of the adventure will not be played.
The heavy handedness of a powerful NPC tagging along with the party is not at all to my taste. Some of the traps seemed a bit too arbitrary. One of the monsters is a time elemental... There is a different version of the time elemental in the Tome of Horrors by Necromancer Games which I think is more creative. I believe that some WOTC books may have created a different version of the Time domain which is not as unbalanced as the one which appears in this adventure. I might be judging some of this too hard, since D20 has evolved significantly since this adventure was published. If this were one of the first adventures I've read, I would be very impressed. As it is, I cannot give this adventure more than a 3/5. If there were fewer new rules and more encounters similar to the NPC encounter on page 20, this adventure could easily have been a 4 or 5.