Whenever I think of "serial publications" I remember TSR's horrible attempt to turn a single novel into multiple "novelettes". When I look at Beneath the Dome Part 1, Tombs of Green, I see another poor execution of the concept.
Why do I consider it a poor execution? I doubt there is enough in this first part to fill an evening of gaming or even most of an evening. There are 8 pages of "meat" in this offering - 6 for the adventure (8 rooms / encounter locations) 1 for the new creatures and 1 for new spells / map.
It feels incomplete, which is to be expected, as it is serialized. I'd expect the GM would run this when he has more of the product in hand, not just this small piece. Which is why the following piece of advice really struck me:
So, they should suddenly find them later on? I really hate when something is in an adventure but NOT in an adventure. Does this advice change with the release of the 2nd part of the series?
It's not a bad part of a dungeon, but it's expensive for the piece you get. $2.99 if you buy each part separately, or 10 bucks if your subscribe to all 4 parts at once.
From the blurb (the typos below belong to the Troll Lords):
Join James M. Ward in his latest foray into adventure gaming. Beneath the Dome is a serieal adventure. The first four episodes are laid out and being prepped for release.
The subsription includes four dungeon crawling adventures. They can be played separately or linked together for hours of game play.
Don't miss a book: SUBSCRIBE HERE (and save!)
“There is danger here. You should go back to your homes and guard your loved ones. I will try to keep death from your doors.”
Part 1: Tombs of Green launches the characters into the mountain deeps. Here they find the fallen have come back from the dead and seek companions on the lonley journey. Its a hard hitting, blood bathed, old school adventure, where luck and skill play equal parts.
Two new monsters, the andromodons and four new spells add to the night's fun as players push the envelope of adventure.
An interesting idea, to serialize it. Pricing is definitely meant to encourage subscriptions. As for do I ever run an adventure before all of it is released, do you? I never do. I wait until I have it all in hand, or know where I am going to go with it if the parts are not released for it in time.
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