By RPGpundit
Precis Intermedia
Dark Albion
Meh.
This eleven page “adventure” details a witch cult in a small village. It’s more of an outline, as if you were describing an adventure idea to a friend over a beer. There’s a Spanish version available.
A witch comes to a village posing as the Mother figure of the three-fold pagan goddess, setting up shop in an old grotto under the church. She recruits a Maiden and a Crone from the village head-family. Crops start to crow well and the villagers feel invigorated as they all convert to the pagan worship. A nearby village has formed a bandit gang and suspect something evil is up, as their babies go missing around the new moon. The local lord supports the cult villagers, unless brought incontrovertible proof. One more new moon feast and a dark beast will be summoned and the cult will move on the surrounding lands.
That’s the adventure. It really just outlines about eight NPC’s, the general village demeanor (they are pagans now and don’t know about the evilness of the cult) and the endgame.
It’s an interesting enough outline, but I don’t think it’s an adventure. I know, I know. “Bryce has taxonomy.” “WTF is your taxonomy Bryce?” “Why isn’t Scenic Innsmouth an adventure Bryce?” Look, I don’t think this is an adventure. WHat makes an adventure? I don’t know. But this ain’t it. Innsmouth wasn’t an adventure, it was a town description. Not an urban adventure, a town. This isn’t an adventure. It’s an adventure outline, or maybe an adventure idea, at best. It represents the bare minimum of an idea communicated to someone. It needs fleshed out. It reminds me of those “50 adventure idea” products that used to be (still are?) popular.
A little more about the village. A little more about the surrounding lands. A little more about the neighboring villages. A little more about subplots in the village. This entire thing needs a little more to hang your hat on.
This is $2 on DriveThru. The preview just shows you the formatting and is too small to see the text.https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/225294/RPGPundit-Presents-5-The-Child-Eaters?affiliate_id=1892600
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So is the problem a lack of commitment or that it's all setup and no payoff?
Because I've met some people who actually write adventure synopses like half-beaten GMs and never bother to go much further than the setup, out of fear (or knowledge) that nobody is going to encounter the rest anyway due to their whacky antics.
Which is fine as a DM cliffnote, but I agree that a proper adventure writes about the payoff, the big finale, the twists and turns as the village elder is mocked and can take it in good stride, but the lowly farmer will almost kill the player as he's ecstatic over his bountiful harvest and the praise he got as a result, clues on how and where to go and what happens if and when and how.