Set within adventureaweek's beautifully-developed campaign world (but capable of being transferred to an equivalent wild and chilly part of your own setting), this adventure starts with the disappearance of some villagers, sent to investigate some strange goings-on but who never returned. The starting point is simple: the village mayor who sent the original party asks the characters to find out what happened to them.

To complete this task, the characters will have to travel through a dangerous wood: not without reason are you advised to stick to the path and only travel during daylight hours. Those who ignore such advice rarely return.. and the same might be true of unwary characters. Fortunately there's a cabin where they can break their journey, and maybe find out more and get some help to complete their mission.

The ultimate goal is to reach a burial mound, which is where the odd activities were observed. Rather neatly, the background and history of this place is presented in such a way that the GM can share it with players who like rich background stories, or leave it aside and get on with the action as preferred. As it is, misunderstandings and a lack of awareness of a local threat led to the original problem, and will catch out any characters who do not pay attention to their surroundings. In an elegant turn, even thorough knowledge of the background of the burial mound will not help!

The burial mound is described in evocative detail, with plenty of information presented clearly to enable the GM to run the exploration effectively and with an eye to excitement. A bit of thought as well as combat ability will be necessary to negotiate this structure; while - due in part to various misunderstandings - many of the people encountered will attack on sight!

Overall it is a nice adventure well-embedded into its setting, with plenty to challenge and entertain those players willing to enter into the spirit of a spot of tomb-raiding. It leads on nicely to the next adventure in the series, too.

Return to Champion's Rest page.

Reviewed: 26 July 2012