Warning: Spoilers
So, here you are. It’s the end of August and there are umpteen d20 adventures floating around the shelves of your local game store. You see that yet another d20 adventure module is about to hit the shelves. The title – “Rappan Athuk 2”. You think about whether to buy RA2 or not. I decided to buy it at Gen Con. I’m also very glad I did. Why, you ask? I’ll tell you.
First of all, like all the other Necromancer Games products, you get access to a free download with each product you buy. That increases its worth, obviously. While the download is not available yet, if it’s anything like the module, then I know I am in for a treat.
Secondly, I like dungeons – especially dungeons with:
A) Tough Monsters
B) Killer Traps
C) Cool Doors
This module delivers on all three counts. It also has these things which I like to see in modules:
A) Good writing
B) Awesome art
C) Excellent hand-drawn cartography
D) Rumors
E) Many Random Encounter Tables
F) Cryptic poetry which sets the mood
This module also lives up to the old first edition modules by having a map on the inside cover which, after removing from the staples, works just like the covers that the first edition modules have. What an excellent way to give old school DMs that “First Edition Feel”.
This module is a sequel to RA1, but I have already found ways to use the ideas in this module in several of my adventures.
The module contains nine levels of the infamous “Rappan Athuk”, a dungeon of graves.
Level 4 is a temple of Orcus, a famous demon prince that has been a part of D&D since its beginning. Any party of adventurers who ever wanted to bust the doors to an evil temple while a service was taking place will love this level.
Level 5 contains both an evil wizard’s lab and a lair for some undead. Included was a table where a DM randomly finds out what each of the adversaries are doing in the lab when the party enters. I love this! It keeps the DM on his toes and keeps the adventure different in case this adventure is ever run or played twice. Also included is a table which tells the DM what happens when a member of the party drinks unknown alchemical materials. Though I think the adventurer would be a class A moron to even do this, it’s cool to have this hilarious table, just in case. It also can be of use if this ever happens in any other adventure where an alchemist’s lab is included.
Level 6 is a maze that must be dealt with if the adventurers want to go deeper down into the dungeon. Included in this level are statistics for a Mustard Jelly, a monster which was missing from the Monster Manual, but is a well known monster from the first edition. Thanks, Bill and Clark, for this. As I am someone who tries to convert the old monsters that Scott Greene hasn’t gotten to yet, I know how hard and time consuming such a task is, and am grateful. This is a good example that the authors here are going above and beyond the call of duty by not just taking monsters from the Monster Manual and shoving them into their adventures. The cryptic poem on this level is of superior prose compared to the others I’ve seen in d20 modules thus far.
Level 7 is called the Gates of Hell, and anyone who glances at the cover can get a good idea as to what it will be like going here. Included is a battle with a round by round tactical report which shows even new DMs how to do it right. Included on this level is a teleportal which will take the party to the city of Bard’s Gate (an upcoming city supplement by Necromancer Games), if they can find it.
Level 8 contains a tomb to an evil king. Included on the pages of this level is a brand new monster – large, white, blind, monstrous cave scorpions! This is an awesome plus and shows that the writers have a cool sense of humor mixed with a desire to create monsters that one would realistically encounter in a dungeon environment.
In the middle of the module are the maps for the levels which are the biggest yet that Conan Venus has done. He has made sure to include squares for measurement. These two improvements make them easily his best work to date.
Level 6A is the Lair of the Spider Queen and brings back fond memories of Gary Gygax’s work on the drow elves, though none are included in this level. Again, another excellent cryptic poem is included. I have heard that these poems were written by Casey Christofferson. If so, then I hope to see more work done by him in the future. Bringing poetry and prose to D&D is a very welcome thing and sets Necromancer Games above the other d20 companies in my book by its inclusion. I hope that the forthcoming free download for RA2 contains more cryptic poems which can be encountered within these dungeon depths. The Spider Queen is an excellent creature which I plan on making a template in order to make more human-spider things in the future for my players to overcome. To finish the level off is easily and without a doubt THE best troll encounter ever devised.
Level 7A is the Hall of the Phase Minotaur King. Here a new monster is introduced – the Phase Minotaur. I really like this monster. I don’t know how Bill and Clark are able to consistently come up with new monsters that are old school in feel. All I say to them about that is to please keep up the good work. Two more monsters from the first edition are brought back as well – the Crimson Death and the Water Weird. I missed these and was happy to see them back.
Level 9A is the Hydra’s Lair. This level has the toughest encounter I have ever seen in a module. Only the toughest PCs should even try to tackle this baby. Be assured, though, that, if successful, the treasure will be as epic as the battle was. Here also is a third cryptic poem. Other things of special note in the pages regarding this level are third edition rules for a magic item from the first edition – a Jug of Alchemy.
To sum up, this is not just another d20 adventure module. In these 64 pages (plus whatever number of pages the accompanying download shall have), a DM gets a lot of monsters, both old and new, that can help create a more memorable dungeon delving experience for your gaming group. I look forward to Rappan Athuk 3 – Dungeon of Graves: The Lower Levels.
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