Chapter 1: Adventure Storyline provides a whole raft of backstory - it's all a bit confusing with references to two previous adventures, although this adventure will work as a stand-alone with information passed in as having been discovered by other adventurers. Basically there are some dimensional gates between a nearby dungeon and various places that most sane people wouldn't want to be connected to... and of course there's someone insane trying to open more. Not to mention denizens of various infernal regions who have found their way through from the other side.

What isn't clear is how your characters are supposed to find out about all this or why they want to get involved: matters just launch into a description of two routes into dungeon areas not cleared in the previous adventures and what happens when you go through them. Once we get going on actual descriptions it's all very clear and to the point, and should prove an exciting dungeon delve to play... it's just getting to the jumping-off point that is unclear.

The maps show a twisting complex of tunnels and chambers which, matched with the descriptions, should make it both exciting and challenging to a strong party of combat enthusiasts (with both spell and sword) with good clerical support. It's a shame the two preceding adventures didn't come out first so you might have some handle on why you have taken on the challenge - at the moment it reads like part of an adventure, the actual dungeon part, has been released before the product was completed. Otherwise, if you want to use this, make up some reasons for why your players might be interested - or if you are really evil, translocate them in from somewhere else entirely and let them figure out what's going on even as they battle to survive!

Return to Into the Gates of Hell page.

Reviewed: 3 August 2008