Edit this Review | Unlink This Review from The Puzzle Box

I recently purchased Talislanta fourth edition, and although I haven't read all of it yet, have so far been extremely impressed with the imagination that must have gone into creating such a unique world.

But anyway, this isn't a review of the main rulebook. Because there was no introductory adventure included with the book, I looked at talislanta.com for a sample adventure that was promised there.

The Puzzle Box is what was given as the sample adventure. This adventure is simply terrible. For one thing, the adventure hook is an NPC Peddler approaching the PCs in a tavern (didn't this sort of beginning stop happening some time ago?), and asking them to buy a "puzzle box." There's no real reason the PCs would want a puzzle box, and although later explanation describes the box as intriguing, I know that my players at least would feel that I was extremely lazy and lame if I tried to coerce them into adventuring in such an obvious manner.

The second huge problem with this adventure is the fact that later on the text states that if the PCs choose not to purchase the puzzle box, the peddler steals one of their mounts during the night and leaves the box as payment. Wow. Blatant, blatant railroading.

The last major problem with the adventure is the fact that it's very very short, and tries to weave some sort of intricate, betrayal style plot into a series of scenes that might take a half hour or so to role play out.

Anyway, the adventure is only 7 pages long, so it won't take you much time to check it out for yourself. I for one thought it was stupid and unimaginative. I'm glad it was left out of the main book because including it would have decreased the flavor that the rulebook had.

Sorry about this review in general, it's basically just an angry rant, because I was pissed off about such a crappy adventure, please don't flame me. (Also, it was written at 4:50 AM)