Edit this Review | Unlink This Review from The Star Cairns

Goto [ Index ]

The Star Cairns is a 48 page adventure sourcebook for the AD+D campaign world of Greyhawk. It is billed at volume one in the Lost Tombs series (the next scheduled additions being The Crypt of Lyzandred the Mad and The Doomgrinder). The Star Cairns includes five separate dungeon crawl adventures, which the back cover suggesting that they can be played together as an extended campaign.

In 167 CY, a Suel-born wizard created a loose confederation of mages who felt, as he did, that the Baklunish peoples should be destroyed and the fallen Suloise Empire recreated. Five secret laboratories were created within the Abbor-Alz hills along powerful ley-lines, in which the wizards could refine their powers and plot their ventures. Eventually, with the leader dying in a failed attempt at lichdom and with more pressing crises, the confederation was absolved and the laboratories sealed. As the centuries passed, legends came into being about the nature of the laboratories, which became known as the Star Cairns after the shape of their entrances and the belief that they were mausoleums. They merely await intrepid adventurers to uncover their ancient secrets.

In "The Influential Leader", a band of dopplegangers have taken over the Cairn devoted to weapons research. An intelligent sword discovered within has taken over the doppleganger leader, "encouraging" him to charm resident monsters and to set himself up as a local banditlord. There is wonderful potential here to turn this adventure into a mini- campaign featuring military skirmishes, intrigue between merchant families, and wilderness exploration.

There is also a unique twist in "The Dedicated Student". The leyline upon which the cairn of armor research was built has shifted it's focus over the centuries, now being a source of necromantic magic. A necromancer is drawn to it to study its potential, but unlike typical fantasy mages of this type, she is not necessarily evil or hostile--Infact, she allows characters to explore the Cairn in peace if she is left to her studies. while the tomb itself is of only marginal originality, Ylleck is an well-rounded and interesting NPC, which more than makes up for any deficiencies in adventure design.

"The Rebellious Youth" is the story of a deformed young beholder, driven away by his parents in a frenzy of loathing at the abomination they created. He has taken up residence in the cairn devoted to researching weapons of war--flying devices, magical steeds, armored chariots, and so forth. With access to these wondrous weapons, the beholder awaits a day when his power is sufficient to create the egomaniacal empire of his dreams. This is one of the better "dungeons", largely because the beholder has altered the standard Cairn layout by using it's disintegrate power. As well, the paranoid fear of it's parents locating his lair and destroying him and the realization of his relative weakness makes this beholder a somewhat more intriguing NPC than might otherwise be the case.

There is no such interesting NPC's in "Angry Toys". This is the weakest of the adventures, little more than a "dungeon crawl" of yesteryear. The cairn was the site of a golem research facility, several of which still stand guard after all these centuries. If fighting several powerful golems and a few fire elemental creatures used to forge these constructs (salamanders and mephits) is your idea of fun, than you will love this adventure. I expect most will avoid this scenario except perhaps to put in place ultra- powerful PC's with ego's to match.

The final scenario, "The Lost Laboratory", involves a Cairn which is now something of a juncture between the Astral, Ethereal, and Prime Material planes. Infact, the Cairns swings like a pendulum between the planes every half-hour. A unique premise and well conceived execution make this adventure a winner for high-powered pc's. A Tanar'ri Demon residing within provides a powerful enemy, and the possibility of it being freed upon the Prime Material plane adds some sense of urgency to the proceedings.

The artwork is excellent, if sparse, and the maps well done. Of particular interest is a map of the Domains of Greyhawk, which is teaming with adventure potential (Shipwrecks, humanoid lairs, old battlefields, and even rumors). The book also includes a two page appendix on new magic items, most of which are quite unique and will surely make PC's giggle in glee. But perhaps the greatest asset of this adventure sourcebook is the fact that each adventure has sections on replayability and on modifying the adventures to suit characters of lower/higher levels than the scenario was designed for. This not only makes the adventures more flexible, but helps in campaign design and makes the book a better value.

The Star Cairns is a solid product, well up to TSR's usual standards. There is always room in any campaign for dungeon romps or short one evening scenarios, so it should be of interest to most gm's. Solid adventures with some interesting twists, a few well designed NPC's, much hack and slay, and that kick butt map make this product a pleasure to read and play.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)