Angry Wiggles's page

Fingerprints of the Fiend set a precedence, that the scenarios in Rachikan would be incredibly difficult, but cinematic and rewarding. This is no different. The setting is well established, even for those who have not played Fingerprints, and the enemies are both unique and terrifying. This scenario kept my groups on their toes as they fought their very best to make it through to the end.

I'm a fan of most of the Rachikan scenarios, and this is no exception, although this one will certainly push a party to it's furthest limits of ability. The encounters in here are cinematic, but deviously challenging, and left my table swearing at their luck, but cheering when they overcame. This scenario is a good challenge for any party that is known for enjoying extreme difficulty.

I typically recommend that newer GMs should not run 7-11 tier scenarios, and this is why. There is a lot of opportunity here for mistakes to lead to butchered players.

The group I ran this for really cherished the opportunity to interact with the retired adventurers that are part of this modules premise. This really did a splendid job setting up the environment in which things were happening, so the effects of what was happening were more strongly felt by the party. It is rare for me to see these players get so emotionally invested in rooting out a villain.

GMing this was a little difficult, though. Not because of what was provided to me, but because a lot of what's here requires a certain amount of description or subtlety to carry the right impact, which kept me on my toes.

The combat difficulty varies throughout the module, with some being easily overpowered, and others being terrifying obstacles to the party.

There are a number of unique items in this module, many of which are fairly interesting. Some of which my party has taken up and used into their higher levels, but most were discarded quickly.

All things accounted for, this was detailed, emotional, thorough and interesting. This is definitely something I would be willing to run again.

This scenario had everything I was looking to bring for a table. The roleplay elements were in depth, and varied between subtle nods to prior scenarios, backdrops detailing the political atmosphere of Absalom, and detailed interpersonal opportunities with specific NPCs. The number of things I can't say here without spoilers is simply overwhelming.

The opening was done beautifully, and really sets the tone for the urgency of the whole scenario. This leads directly into some tactically interesting combats that had my table gritting their teeth as they fought through them. This scenario sets the party up well for a real feeling of accomplishment at the end. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

I had my hesitations about running this after Assault on the Wound, but I enjoyed the game in spite of my expectations.

The combats are reasonably challenging, particularly at lower levels. The narrow corridors and lack of maneuverability force the party into interesting tactical decisions. The final encounter had the party positively seething as they finally overcame it. A true challenge for their level, without being blatantly overwhelming.

There is not a large amount of opportunity for roleplay in this scenario, but what little is there fits naturally and even caught my group off guard.

A pleasant scenario hearkening back to fantasy tropes of old. There are few challenges here for a large or high level group, but a low level group will find itself fighting against flavorful opponents as well as interesting terrain. The setting itself was ripe with flavor and the big reveal at the end had the table trying to decide whether to laugh or groan, with several doing both.

My one complaint is that the scenario ran rather short compared to most. They party I ran it for finished in approximately 2.5 hours.

This scenario plays out oddly. There is a fantastic level of setup presented for the setting and the enemies, and there is a great deal of opportunity for roleplay. The NPCs have a significant amount of backstory that can be talked out of them, and it actually effects the scenario. The final opponent is made to appear as a looming mythical figure, terrifying all those who may oppose them, and the setting for the final scene is cinematic and memorable.

The combat, however, consistently falls short. The final boss is terrifying for a low tier party, but will consistently be torn down by higher tier characters. The remainder of the dungeon is minor and forgettable combats, which feel largely like they exist to fill space. I feel like there could have been more done to keep the players engaged and challenged. Perhaps making the trip last longer so they have to weigh the benefits of sleeping?

Despite it's lackluster combat, the scenario still remains interesting and engaging for mid tier parties, but will likely disappoint those playing in 6-7.

Rarely have I seen difficulty presented so well as it is here. This scenario successfully manages to establish a grim and suspenseful atmosphere and to encourage caution in it's players. What's more, there are challenges for every group present here. Without going into too much detail regarding the combats, they maintain a high level of challenge, without attempting to reduce player agency. That balance is exceedingly difficult to strike, but was done phenomenally by by Rob McCreary here.

All of that praise aside, there are some minor complaints to be had. The first of which is that this can be run as a character's first session, which I very much discourage. The challenges within are varied, and they will likely not have the supplies or wherewithal to handle it properly as their first session. There is also little true opportunity for roleplay here, beyond what the party brings themselves. This did not significantly affect the party I ran this scenario for, but it must be made plain that the scenario offers you very opportunity to communicate with NPCs.

I would rate this as 4.5 stars if the star system allowed such, but it was enjoyable enough to round up, rather than down.