A mystery investigation with well-placed clues, memorable NPCs (old AND new), some red herrings, and a chase scene (complete with a Magnimar tour!) that actually works.
I thought nothing could top Traitor's Lodge as my favorite scenario to run. Serpent's Rise is proof that I was wrong.
My only quibble (and it's a minor one) is the four-player adjustment — I think it tones the final encounter down too much. But aside from that, this one is first-rate.
This may be my new favorite scenario. With elements of classic and modern horror blended together with a tremendously fun-to-roleplay yet sympathetic NPC, this one touches all the bases on its way home.
It helps to have a good table makeup as part of the ride, which my inaugural one had. As GM, the pace of the reveal seems both smooth and ideal, right up until the scene in the [redacted] where said NPC relays to the party her first memories. By the end of that Act, my party had grown to despise the traitor entirely.
A single nitpick:
The labyrinth tiles were a pain to print. An ingenious idea, but squares of 10"x10" don't have any easy way to be printed on most home printers, which normally cannot handle tabloid-size paper. The only option is professional printing, which can be pricey.
For some perspective: I thoroughly enjoyed #2-25: You Only Die Twice, and this has a similar type of theme. JMSO, if you enjoyed Twice, you'll probably enjoy Severing Ties.
There are some familiar mechanics that are used well, and a handful of fresh ones that encouraged outside-the-box thinking by our players. From my point of view, that's nothing but a Good Thing [tm]. Keeps both sides of the table on their respective toes. Similarly, this is not a scenario that should be run cold by anyone who isn't fully familiar with the beasties within.
I would rate this at 4.5 stars if I could, simply because two the higher-tier fights were potentially VERY deadly, and not to be taken lightly. GMs should probably think carefully before suggesting playing up. But for a terrific mix of roleplay and roll-play, this one's a winner.
I am a big fan of continuity in mods, and this one is loosely knit to Season 0's "Tide of Morning."
There are a number of interesting facets here, from a creative template to a valuable flower, that were fresh to me. It appeared to run smoothly and well within time constraints, though
I would NOT recommend running this one cold -- our GM had the maps all drawn, and the look of them told me there's prep work needed.
All in all, a fun adventure with a time crunch to create a sense of urgency.
