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Trobridge Inn: Pepper and Spice Review by Ken Snellings

Published by Columbia Games Inc (CGI). [www.columbiagames.com] Written by Edwyn Kumar and N. Robin Crossby Artwork by Toren Atkinson, Ed Beard, Eric Hotz, and Richard Luschek Maps by Patrick Nilsson, Ron Gibson, and Garry Steinhilber

Trobridge Inn is an adventure module for both Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition and HarnMaster: Core Rules. It is set in Columbia Games' HarnWorld and while the adventure is new, much of the setting material has been previously published by Columbia Games.

MEDIA The module has a cardstock wrap-around cover that contains a full page, full color map and an accompanying full page, double sided, map key. The rest of the module consists of 32 numbered pages. All are printed on lightweight card stock that has not been pre-punched with holes.

GRADE: A

THE MAPS CGI is known for its excellent maps and they have established a consistent mapping system that appears in all of their products. Trobridge Inn: Pepper and Spice is no exception.

The new Local Scale map of the settlement is a remake of the previously published map of the same area. It has an updated color scheme, updated symbols, and is generally more detailed. The biggest differences involve the vegetation present. The garden plots, trees, brush and orchard have all changed shape, hedges are now present, and a few fences have been added. Contour lines are another addition.

Missing from the map are the names of the roads/trails leading into Trobridge and the "deep water" areas that were depicted on the old map.

The only problems I have found are the name of the stream going past the mill (the new map names this as Bear Stream, the old one as Pael Brook), the absence of gates, the similarity of the stone wall and wooden wall symbols (it may be troublesome to differentiate between the two), and one contour line that seems mislabeled.

The GM version of the map places the same numbers on the same buildings, but these numbers are a bit more difficult to read than the old version.

The interior map of the Trobridge Inn complex is also a reproduction of the original. The symbols are slightly different, but it is a functional equivalent of the original.

There are three new interior maps in the module, one is of the mill, and another is the home of the self styled "Lord of Trobridge". Both are of the same high quality one can expect from CGI.

Lastly there is a small map that shows Trobridge's location on Harn and the areas around it that are claimed by various barbarian tribes.

To complete the maps, CGI has included a Map Key Sheet. This double-sided page shows most of the symbols used in Local, Regional, and Interior Maps. Unfortunately, while the maps have been given some new symbols, the map key's conversion has not been complete. Stone walls, and palisades are still shown using the old symbols. Absent from the key is the pattern that depicts meadow or pasture.

Grade: A-

THE ART: Most of the artwork in Trobridge Inn is new and aside from the cover, it is all black and white. There are a few illustrations of the settlement that are for the most part consistent with the map. These are all of high quality.

There are several pictures depicting the upper bodies of the central non-player characters. These vary in quality from quite good to quite bad. Interestingly, the artist responsible for them has signed them MACBIN, though no MACBIN is listed in the credits. Kurson Ondailis bears a striking resemblance to the actor Sam Elliot.

One creature is illustrated in the module and the style is quite different from the rest of the artwork. It in fact looks more like a black and white reproduction of a painting, rather than an ink line / hatch drawing. It is not a bad picture.

There are a few illustrations present that have been published by CGI in the past. The artist who drew these, Eric Hotz, is not listed in the credits.

GRADE: B

THE ARTICLE Trobridge Inn is presented in the standard "Encyclopedia Harnica" style. This is to mean that for each article in a publication, a header is present on each page with a title and a page number. Curiously, Trobridge Inn is not broken down into multiple articles though it can easily be divided into two sections.

The Setting: The first eleven pages of the Trobridge article make up a an expanded version of the originally published 4 page Trobridge article. Some of the page differential is caused by new information, some by new artwork, and some by larger text size/formatting. The same nineteen dwellings are listed, though more information is presented here than was previously released. Also expanded is the history of the settlement.

HarnMaster and d20(D&D) stats are included for several of the major personalities dwelling in the settlement. These are placed on sidebars and are unobtrusive. It is interesting to note that the characters DO change slightly when going from one system to the other.

The layout of this section is a bit disjointed. An overview and history of the settlement is presented first, followed by the keyed, GM map. Page 3 marks the start of the descriptions of each numbered building. Page 4 is the interior map of the Inn complex, while page 5 continues the description list. Page 6 once again breaks up this list with background information on the innkeeper. Page 7 restarts the list once again.

Page 12 ends the setting material with a cursory look at the Chelni Barbarian Tribe. The Tulwyn tribe is also mentioned in the module, but information on them is absent.

The Adventure: The Adventure starts off with some background and some GM advice on hooking the players into the adventure. This module is anything but linear and it makes very few assumptions on what angle the players might be coming to it from. The design supports play from any of the several sides of the upcoming conflicts.

The module then breaks itself into four acts. Each of these involves (and details) a principle NPC.

Each act is really its own adventure strung together loosely by location and timing. In each case, several outcomes are suggested and subsequent acts take those possibilities into account. The situations are well thought out and should give characters plenty to do, while not leading them by the nose. Several gaming styles, including political intrigue, PC vs. NPC combat, PC vs. monster combat, wilderness exploration, dungeon spelunking, and mystery solving are presented for your gaming pleasure. Any can be stressed or ignored depending on the players' and GM's preference.

The module is very open-ended and while it seems designed for beginning to intermediate CHARACTERS, a beginning GM might want a more tightly confined adventure with a clearer objective. An experienced GM should enjoy the freedom and creative opportunities presented here.

Page 31 really belongs in the setting section as it gives a few details about some interesting places close to Trobridge. Page 32 consists entirely of Open Game License information and is not true "content"

Grade: A

Trobridge Inn: Pepper and Spice
Trobridge Inn: Pepper and Spice Capsule Review by Ken Snellings on 26/10/01 Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!) An excellent open-ended adventure module to suit most styles of gaming. Product: Trobridge Inn: Pepper and Spice Author: Edwyn Kumar and N. Robin Crossby Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Columbia Games Inc. Line: HarnWorld Cost: $14.98 Page count: 34 Year published: 2001 ISBN: 020210572 SKU: 5072 Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Ken Snellings on 26/10/01 Genre tags: Fantasy	Trobridge Inn: Pepper and Spice Review by Ken Snellings Published by Columbia Games Inc (CGI). [www.columbiagames.com] Written by Edwyn Kumar and N. Robin Crossby Artwork by Toren Atkinson, Ed Beard, Eric Hotz, and Richard Luschek Maps by Patrick Nilsson, Ron Gibson, and Garry Steinhilber Trobridge Inn is an adventure module for both Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition and HarnMaster: Core Rules. It is set in Columbia Games' HarnWorld and while the adventure is new, much of the setting material has been previously published by Columbia Games. MEDIA The module has a cardstock wrap-around cover that contains a full page, full color map and an accompanying full page, double sided, map key. The rest of the module consists of 32 numbered pages. All are printed on lightweight card stock that has not been pre-punched with holes. GRADE: A THE MAPS CGI is known for its excellent maps and they have established a consistent mapping system that appears in all of their products. Trobridge Inn: Pepper and Spice is no exception. The new Local Scale map of the settlement is a remake of the previously published map of the same area. It has an updated color scheme, updated symbols, and is generally more detailed. The biggest differences involve the vegetation present. The garden plots, trees, brush and orchard have all changed shape, hedges are now present, and a few fences have been added. Contour lines are another addition. Missing from the map are the names of the roads/trails leading into Trobridge and the "deep water" areas that were depicted on the old map. The only problems I have found are the name of the stream going past the mill (the new map names this as Bear Stream, the old one as Pael Brook), the absence of gates, the similarity of the stone wall and wooden wall symbols (it may be troublesome to differentiate between the two), and one contour line that seems mislabeled. The GM version of the map places the same numbers on the same buildings, but these numbers are a bit more difficult to read than the old version. The interior map of the Trobridge Inn complex is also a reproduction of the original. The symbols are slightly different, but it is a functional equivalent of the original. There are three new interior maps in the module, one is of the mill, and another is the home of the self styled "Lord of Trobridge". Both are of the same high quality one can expect from CGI. Lastly there is a small map that shows Trobridge's location on Harn and the areas around it that are claimed by various barbarian tribes. To complete the maps, CGI has included a Map Key Sheet. This double-sided page shows most of the symbols used in Local, Regional, and Interior Maps. Unfortunately, while the maps have been given some new symbols, the map key's conversion has not been complete. Stone walls, and palisades are still shown using the old symbols. Absent from the key is the pattern that depicts meadow or pasture. Grade: A- THE ART: Most of the artwork in Trobridge Inn is new and aside from the cover, it is all black and white. There are a few illustrations of the settlement that are for the most part consistent with the map. These are all of high quality. There are several pictures depicting the upper bodies of the central non-player characters. These vary in quality from quite good to quite bad. Interestingly, the artist responsible for them has signed them MACBIN, though no MACBIN is listed in the credits. Kurson Ondailis bears a striking resemblance to the actor Sam Elliot. One creature is illustrated in the module and the style is quite different from the rest of the artwork. It in fact looks more like a black and white reproduction of a painting, rather than an ink line / hatch drawing. It is not a bad picture. There are a few illustrations present that have been published by CGI in the past. The artist who drew these, Eric Hotz, is not listed in the credits. GRADE: B THE ARTICLE Trobridge Inn is presented in the standard "Encyclopedia Harnica" style. This is to mean that for each article in a publication, a header is present on each page with a title and a page number. Curiously, Trobridge Inn is not broken down into multiple articles though it can easily be divided into two sections. The Setting: The first eleven pages of the Trobridge article make up a an expanded version of the originally published 4 page Trobridge article. Some of the page differential is caused by new information, some by new artwork, and some by larger text size/formatting. The same nineteen dwellings are listed, though more information is presented here than was previously released. Also expanded is the history of the settlement. HarnMaster and d20(D&D) stats are included for several of the major personalities dwelling in the settlement. These are placed on sidebars and are unobtrusive. It is interesting to note that the characters DO change slightly when going from one system to the other. The layout of this section is a bit disjointed. An overview and history of the settlement is presented first, followed by the keyed, GM map. Page 3 marks the start of the descriptions of each numbered building. Page 4 is the interior map of the Inn complex, while page 5 continues the description list. Page 6 once again breaks up this list with background information on the innkeeper. Page 7 restarts the list once again. Page 12 ends the setting material with a cursory look at the Chelni Barbarian Tribe. The Tulwyn tribe is also mentioned in the module, but information on them is absent. The Adventure: The Adventure starts off with some background and some GM advice on hooking the players into the adventure. This module is anything but linear and it makes very few assumptions on what angle the players might be coming to it from. The design supports play from any of the several sides of the upcoming conflicts. The module then breaks itself into four acts. Each of these involves (and details) a principle NPC. Each act is really its own adventure strung together loosely by location and timing. In each case, several outcomes are suggested and subsequent acts take those possibilities into account. The situations are well thought out and should give characters plenty to do, while not leading them by the nose. Several gaming styles, including political intrigue, PC vs. NPC combat, PC vs. monster combat, wilderness exploration, dungeon spelunking, and mystery solving are presented for your gaming pleasure. Any can be stressed or ignored depending on the players' and GM's preference. The module is very open-ended and while it seems designed for beginning to intermediate CHARACTERS, a beginning GM might want a more tightly confined adventure with a clearer objective. An experienced GM should enjoy the freedom and creative opportunities presented here. Page 31 really belongs in the setting section as it gives a few details about some interesting places close to Trobridge. Page 32 consists entirely of Open Game License information and is not true "content" Grade: A