ASC3 Review - Ithog the Twisted

Adventure Site Contest 3 review

This adventure was submitted for consideration in Adventure Site Contest 3 being run by Ben Gibson at Coldlight Press. It has been or will be reviewed by the official judges, who will be selecting the eight winning adventures. This is an unofficial review, which was written prior to reading (or watching) any of the official judges’ reviews. I will do my best to link to the official reviews at the bottom of the review.

I will use a five-star scale, based on both playability and interest:
*          Failing grade. The adventure doesn’t meet minimum standards of playability.
**         I could see running this, but it fails to inspire me or has significant playability issues.
***       I would consider running this.
****     I am considering running this.
*****   I want to run this. Now.

Ithog the Twisted
By giantgoose
For 1e-adjacent
Levels 7+ (4+ characters) 

Time to grok the adventure: 15 minutes

Set-up:

Ithog became and lich, wields an evil artifact, the Rod of Depopulation, and owes 2,000 souls to an imprisonment type IV demon (also present in the adventured, but contained). 

The author notes that the party will likely be led to the site either to destroy the rod or to seek a sword of wounding.

Things I liked:

My son generally destroys all skeletons that he encounters on the off chance that they animate at some point. The trap at the entrance made me think of him. 

“Pulverized Thief” as a location name.

Things to note:

The real threat is that Ithog hears the party fighting any of the undead in the small site and comes hunting. And here is where I reveal my weakness as a GM: I am never really sure how fights with high-level spellcasters are supposed to play out. 

The author noted (on Discord) that AD&Ders might object to the low power-level of the lich, but he does have two good bodyguards (bone golems) and the spell project image. Project image still requires him to be in visual range of the projected image, however, and there are no peepholes. The GM will have to be ready to adjudicate how easy it is for characters to get around the bone golems to attack the lich.

It would seem that the lich is missing more powerful defensive spells. Both minor globe of invulnerability and globe of invulnerability would be options.

If the party is seeking the sword of wounding, it is very possible that they walk in, make a couple turn undead rolls and walk out.

There is some minor techno-magic in the adventure, but you could ignore if it doesn’t fit your setting. 

There are bugbear wights, who should be made human if this offends your sensibilities.

Finally, there is a reference to the “real” body of Ithog. I have no idea what this refers to. 

Rating: 

***  A decent adventure which needs a bit more going on