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Review of The Trouble with Gnolls
A retired adventurer built his home over caves so he could make use of them as natural vault for his treasure. A sound plan, save for the fact that, unknown to the retiree, the caverns contained a secret shrine to Yeenoghu, deity of the Gnoll race. The conceit behind the adventure is that a band of gnolls, led by a shaman, have taken over the homestead to conduct a vile ritual in the shrine below. It's up to the PCs to take back the home, save the retired adventurer (if indeed he still lives), evict the gnolls, and stop the ritual. It's a straightforward story without complications, perfect for a sidetrek.
Further making the adventure straightforward is a format that's extremely GM friendly. Characters have boxed text with Appearance (how an NPC looks) and Does (her actions and motivation). Important elements within the text are boldfaced. Each encounter includes handy Development notes and ends with a Transition section that helps guide GMs to the next step in the adventure. These elements make the adventure ideal for new GMs or those running a session on the fly with little or no prep time.
Writer Gabe Degel assembles some fun encounters in the adventure, including a possible chase and fight involving a racing wagon. I have one minor complaint: as it is the climax of the adventure, the ultimate showdown against the shaman with the completion of the ritual at stake to have been developed further to enhance the drama.
The adventure includes a new magic item (Totem of the Hunters Nose, a useful item) and three new monsters (gnoll shaman, bandit enforcer, and the hideously cool exploding hyena, beasts tainted by magic that explode upon over-gorging or death in combat, birthing from their swollen bellies fully formed gnolls).
Writing and editing are good, maps equally well done, and the artwork by Dean Spencer is excellent.
The Trouble with Gnolls relies on classic formula, but that's not a strike against it - quite the opposite, that make the adventure approachable for players and GMs alike, a winning combination for a quick night's game or for those dipping their toes into the game.
The Trouble with Gnolls is Degel's first published adventure, and the first from his TableTop Outfitter. Its good enough that one can't help but look forward to the next.
