DCC #25: The Dread Crypt of Srihoz

[toper]

Greetings.

Some of you may have noticed that The Dread Crypt of Srihoz is at last on its way to the shelves, and no doubt at least a handful of folks have snatched up copies for themselves, print or via the ever-popular PDF, and have run through it? I hope you've enjoyed it.

As this is the first adventure I've written and had published (backed up by the indispensable talents of Neal Gamache, and the occasional friendly suggestion from Joseph), I am posting this topic to get some feedback on what people think, so I can maybe answer some questions and learn a bit for my future writing.

For instance:

* Is the gameplay smooth?
* Are you GMs able to slaughter the entire party of PCs without having to cheat? Or do I need to make the traps sharper next time?
* Does it suck out loud and make you want your money back? (but then how could it...IT'S GOT A VAMPIRE IN IT! As well as an Aboleth (a special one)...what more could any of us want, really?)

In all sincerity, I'm here to answer any questions you might have about the adventure, suggestions for future technique, or if you want to tell me how unbelievably magnificent it is and how I should receive a Knighthood for it. Whichever.

[DitheringFool]

Mr. Simmons, I purchased the PDF the first day it was available and received my print copy a couple of days ago. From the web site I had vague expectation that the vampire and the aboleth were one and the same so I was somewhat taken back to find otherwise However, as written I believe the Dread Crypt will go down as making the Tomb of Horrors look like a play ground!

My players are currently third level so it's going to be a long while before their ready to brave Srihoz's domain. I'll check back once they've been eliminated.

Thanks for doing something malign and beautiful with an aboleth. And even though he's not the boss I appreciate the little warning on the map!

[toper]

Greetings.

Reading some of your other posts I see you are an experienced player and have played some of the other DCCs (am I right?), so your praise is worth an awful lot to me, really. I am so pleased you like it, and clearly it did not escape you that my first adventure is something of a tribute to Gygax's Tomb of Horrors. If Srihoz' happy little labyrinth can even be mentioned in the same sentence that is good enough for me. I sincerely hope others will share your opinion.
As to playing it, yea...I think your 3rd-level characters deserve better than to be hurled into that meat grinder without a little more seasoning (pun intended), but hopefully you can play it soon.
The aboleth has always been one of my favorite monsters, something I've unfairly squeezed into several adventures where the players were so obviously outclassed but I didn't give a damn! So, you're welcome...and I'm so happy you noticed my silly little jokes in the backpages maps (did you see the other one?). I'm hoping to start something there...

Fight the good fight against my vampire, friend! And think of it this way, if you're good enough to get past the aboleth, then you might just be good enough to get to Srihoz. As to actually defeating him, well...no one has yet.


-Jeremy