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After making a splash with Three Days To Kill, one of the first adventures released for the Third Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, Atlas Games followed it up with a second, Thieves In The Forest. Like Three Days To Kill, it is part of the company’s Penumbra imprint, intended to provide support for D&D under the terms of WotC’s Open Gaming License.

John Nephew, the head of Atlas Games, is the author of Thieves In The Forest and just as with Three Days To Kill, it is designed as an introductory adventure, specifically for a party of four to six characters of first level. Already with the second Penumbra release, improvements have been made. The layout and appearance is similar to that of Three Days To Kill, but it is much tidier and far less cluttered. The artwork is gloomy and heavy, but befitting the mood that the adventure is trying to evoke. Again, ProFantasy Software’s Campaign Cartographer 2 mapping programme is used to create this adventure’s maps and copies of these are available for download from the Atlas Games web site. Also provided is a double-sided poster map of the thieves’ lair, which can be removed and used with miniatures to play out the final encounter.

Thieves In The Forest is set in the Ralferst Forest, which of late, has become beset by the predations of banditry, particularly near the village of Brandon’s Bridge. The players may be motivated to investigate by monetary reward or by the fame that success might bring, or the DM is free to provide other reasons for the party to become involved. The investigation into the bandits leads them through the forest following a series of clues, which will lead them eventually to an ancient temple where the thieves have their lair. Some of the encounters are quite inventive, such as the artistic ogre!

The lair itself is quite tough, with a good mix of traps and foes. Some are more deadly than the thieves themselves, but this will only become apparent as the complex is explored and the band find their situation becoming increasingly desperate. If the party is successful, they will be hailed as heroes and come away with gold to hand and just a few minor magical items.

Looking back, Thieves In The Forest is as perfunctory an adventure as the first Penumbra title, Three Days To Kill. Yes, it works, but it is far from interesting. That would come later with In The Belly of the Beast and The Tide of Years. At the time of its release, Thieves in the Forest represented value for money and was a decent adventure, but that can no longer be said. Thieves in the Forest would still serve as a decent introductory adventure for the players to play and the DM to run.

(with thanks to Roj at Wayland’s Forge)

Thieves in the Forest
Thieves in the Forest Capsule Review by Pookie on 20/07/01 Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 3 (Average) A perfunctory rather than exciting adventure for the new D&D, but with its improvements in appearance and layout, led the way for better and more interesting titles in Penumbra line. Product: Thieves in the Forest Author: John Nephew Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Atlas Games Line: Penumbra d20 Cost: $8.95 Page count: 32 Year published: 2000 ISBN: 1-887801-95-2 SKU: AG3201 Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Pookie on 20/07/01 Genre tags: Fantasy	After making a splash with Three Days To Kill, one of the first adventures released for the Third Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, Atlas Games followed it up with a second, Thieves In The Forest. Like Three Days To Kill, it is part of the company’s Penumbra imprint, intended to provide support for D&D under the terms of WotC’s Open Gaming License. John Nephew, the head of Atlas Games, is the author of Thieves In The Forest and just as with Three Days To Kill, it is designed as an introductory adventure, specifically for a party of four to six characters of first level. Already with the second Penumbra release, improvements have been made. The layout and appearance is similar to that of Three Days To Kill, but it is much tidier and far less cluttered. The artwork is gloomy and heavy, but befitting the mood that the adventure is trying to evoke. Again, ProFantasy Software’s Campaign Cartographer 2 mapping programme is used to create this adventure’s maps and copies of these are available for download from the Atlas Games web site. Also provided is a double-sided poster map of the thieves’ lair, which can be removed and used with miniatures to play out the final encounter. Thieves In The Forest is set in the Ralferst Forest, which of late, has become beset by the predations of banditry, particularly near the village of Brandon’s Bridge. The players may be motivated to investigate by monetary reward or by the fame that success might bring, or the DM is free to provide other reasons for the party to become involved. The investigation into the bandits leads them through the forest following a series of clues, which will lead them eventually to an ancient temple where the thieves have their lair. Some of the encounters are quite inventive, such as the artistic ogre! The lair itself is quite tough, with a good mix of traps and foes. Some are more deadly than the thieves themselves, but this will only become apparent as the complex is explored and the band find their situation becoming increasingly desperate. If the party is successful, they will be hailed as heroes and come away with gold to hand and just a few minor magical items. Looking back, Thieves In The Forest is as perfunctory an adventure as the first Penumbra title, Three Days To Kill. Yes, it works, but it is far from interesting. That would come later with In The Belly of the Beast and The Tide of Years. At the time of its release, Thieves in the Forest represented value for money and was a decent adventure, but that can no longer be said. Thieves in the Forest would still serve as a decent introductory adventure for the players to play and the DM to run. (with thanks to Roj at Wayland’s Forge)