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GameMastery Module U2: Hangman's Noose (OGL)
Paizo Publishing, LLC
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Print Edition:
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$12.99
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PDF:
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$8.99
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An urban adventure for 1st-level characters.
A spiteful ghost haunts an abandoned courthouse in the metropolis of Absalom, and on the ten-year anniversary of a grave injustice it seeks its revenge. The heroes must unravel the mystery of the ghost’s demise before they too are given a guilty verdict and sent to the gallows.
Written by Nicolas Logue
ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-073-5
GameMastery Modules are 32-page, high-quality, full-color, OGL-compatible adventures for use with the world's most popular fantasy RPG. All GameMastery Modules include four pre-made characters so players can jump right into the action, and full-color maps to enhance play.
Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at
webmaster@paizo.com.
Product Reviews
Average product rating:
  
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I like Nic Logue as much as anybody, but this module is a good example of poor adventure design. It tries very hard to be good, but ultimately falls short of delivering what it promises.
First things first, the events transpire over the course of a night. That's great, but when you have a 1st lvl Wizard in the party, and they run out of spells, they're going to be bored out of their mind for the rest of the adventure.
Given that there are numerous combats, some of which with deadly foes (Ghoul-Stirge, I'm looking at you), and limited space to run, a DM has to hand-wave some enemy tactics.
The main "villain" appears early on, and soundly beats the PC's, but since they're already conserving resources, they start walking a fine line between TPK and living. It feels like the DM has to give them a handout to win, which I think fails the horror.
In addition, since there's a time limit, the PC's need to work hard at conserving resources. They can't rest and recover. Luckily, there's potions throughout the module, but that seems like an ill-contrived way of combating the problem, especially when the party's cleric might suffer the same as the wizard, and be out of spells (At least they can hit things still!).
It's a nice try, but just isn't the best by Logue.
...for experienced and mature players. "The Hangman's Noose" is downright creepy and deadly.
I highly recommend it to every DM who wants to challenge his players. If they get sore about dying, however, be careful - this one is deadly!
*hehehe*
for a long time, I sought out an adventure that will give my players the creeps. when they get to it I am sure they will have them at Skeletons of Scarwall. but this module is just as great.
major NPC's drop dead faster then flys, the PC's need to investigate if they are to solve their problem and get out of the place alive. complicated storyline, great feel, nice encounters, cool new monster, and a lot of optoions for in depth roleplaying... it could barely get better.
all hail Nicolas Louge!
While I think that Hangman's Noose is a great attempt at covering a classic genre in storytelling, it displays what many of us already know: it's very, very difficult to pull off good horror or good mystery at the D&D table. In this case, Mr. Logue tries to overcome that difficult by severely restricting the PCs' options and ability to impact the time-line of scary events that the primary ghost has set up. In a novel or movie, it's perfectly fine to dictate the actions of the main characters, but my players won't put up with it. Similarly, the mystery plot isn't very mysterious, and it seems like the players have a sense as to who the guilty party is from the opening minutes.
There are some very nice (and creepy) scenes throughout and some very nice touches that set Hangman's Noose well above most attempts at horror/mystery modules, but be aware that the hangman also has a (metaphorical) straight-jacket for each of the PCs that forces them to sit back and enjoy the show until it's time to "fix" things.
I enjoy running horror-style adventures in my D&D campaigns, though I've only run them as "one-shots" or side quests.
Hangman's Noose presents an introductory adventure to kick off an entire horror-style campaign, and it does so very well.
The adventure jump starts into a horror-movie scene that's part Twelve Angry Men, part Final Destination, part Haunted (1995 Aiden Quinn movie), and a mixture of classic horror elements.
The conclusion of the adventure includes information that could be used to continue a horror-style campaign, all of which take place within the same city of Absolom.
This adventure succeeds in presenting horror elements in D&D by providing the descriptive narrative that horror stories need. It also uses the D&D mechanics to produce some other horror-movie aspects, which, to me is the most important aspect of running a horror game in D&D.
What I mean by this, is the players need to know that their spells, feats, skills, and class abilities still work the same way, and anything that the horror-style creatures or effects do can be explained by looking at the rules.
At the same time, the horror-elements should be part of the story, not the star of the show, stealing away the PC choices and abilities. There are encounters in the adventure that seem to "have to happen" and the players can't stop.
While this does produce a classic horror-movie effect, it takes away a vital aspect of an RPG, which is that the players actions have an impact on their surroundings.
Of course, these events can easily be adapted to better suit the style of play that the DM and the players enjoy.
All in all, this is a solid D&D adventure, and an outstanding horror-style adventure. For more inspiration of running a complete horror-style campaign, I recommend picking up Heroes of Horror and Dragon Magazine #336.
Nicholas Logue is an excellent author but this is is definitely not his best work. The feeling you want to get when you read a good module is an unyielding urge to run out RIGHT NOW and find four players to run it for. I did not get this at all from the story. Instead, I got a sense that it felt contrived, a bit cliched and just way too heavy handed. I also got a strong sense that it would be intensely difficult to run well and that, ultimately, it would frustrate the players more than frighten or excite them. While I applaud an effort to create a good story for 1st level PCs (always hard) and to create an engaging mystery/horror (always really hard) this one, in my opinion, did not succeed at doing either.
This adventure is a very interesting offering. It manages to make a good mystery plot in a small space, and yet contains a reasonable amount of violence. It has interaction with memorable NPCs and an event system that does a good job of driving toward a conclusion. It very efficiently draws upon themes of death, justice and horror.
Two thumbs up, highly recommended. Should work well to start off a mystery/horror campaign.
Finally, finally got this shipped to me (Amazon I'm glaring at you!) and read it through.
Now, I'm very glad to say that this module sure a theme and style all its own. Mixing horror into D&D has met with... Variable success in the past. but the Gamemastery setting and style seems to support it well.
Having said that, this is a b~#~# of a 'first adventure' for any new player (or even new character) and I buy my 1st Level modules in case someone asks to play D&D without prior experience. By that reasoning, I gotta mark this down, since it's a very tough, very grisly and very downbeat adventure.
Not that it's a bad one. in fact I really like it. But presenting it to a newbie isn't going to be easy.
Otherwise, another high quality and interesting product. Almost a bold act putting out a grim murder mystery/survival horror module aimed at 1st Level characters, and it is pulled off with some class.
Once again, Nicolas Logue delivers. Hangman's Noose is a wonderful little gem for getting a party started, with each character forced to walk in the boots of one of their relatives, and taking their place in a horrible retrial of an unjustly hanged man.
The NPCs in this locked room / survival horror scenario are believable and well-thought out - and while you may still cheer when the first villain bites the dust, you probably will become queasy once the roster shrinks, and ever fewer victims you have not grown fond of are left.
What cut off one star in this case are a few somewhat "cutscene" type events ("You realize X is gone, then hear a scream behind the locked door"). This could have been done with more interaction potential. Also, while its not so hard to figure out who the true villain is, actually getting him to the gallows is left pretty much open.
This is perhaps the most interesting module of the lot so far, with its Agatha Christie style plot and wonderful art.
I have no idea how it will play and it does seem rather dependent upon having the right number of players. It also seems incredibly hard, with all sorts of nasty denizens thrown at our measly Lvl 1 players. Mr Logue's bloodthirsty nature is still here, but it is certainly not gratuitous.
Despite my concerns/reservations, I am really looking forward to running it at some point soon and would certainly recommend its purchase to anyone. It stands out a long way ahead of U1 imho, although it is completely different.
It isn't really an urban adventure to be truthful, so once again Paizo set up a naming convention and then proceeds to develop modules which don't fit into any of them. Still, its uniqueness is its blessing and full marks for coming up with something "novel".
Product Discussion
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posts.
See all discussion for this product.
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Awesome. Like the plot of some of the best horror and mystery movies, a group of strangers (in the case of the PCs) locked in a haunted building must solve a murder before everyone inside is killed. Can't wait to play this one, maybe one of my current group will run it while I'm still DM'ing RotRL.
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When will this module be available as PDF?
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Where is Absalom locate on the map preview from the blog? I just wanted reference to the location relative to Varisia.
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Kerflop wrote:
Where is Absalom locate on the map preview from the blog? I just wanted reference to the location relative to Varisia.
http://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/GolarionContinents.gif
If my link works, Absalom is on an island many many many miles South East of Varisia. Just north of the coloured section labelled "Osirion".
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In our hands this was awfully hard, perhaps a little too hard...
...for a party of six 4th level PCs. It's difficult to imagine how it would work for its intended party of four 1st level PCs, as it involves multiple EL5+ encounters with no chance to rest in between.
Nice characterization work, good descriptions, but not appropriate for its listed level at all. As an introductory adventure it's a show-stopper. Pity, as good 1st level adventures are extremely useful in promoting the game.
I suppose it could be run as a one-off Call of Cthulhu style game, but I think the PCs will die so fast that the players will never have a clue what's going on.
Recommendation: A potentially fun game, more fun if the too-scripted quality of the first half could be toned down. Appropriate for 4th or maybe 3rd level PCs, but not lower.
Mary
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Ace Haven,
Kerflop,
