This is the second 'core' adventure in the Crashing Chaos campaign, and can either follow directly after Face Down in a Muddy Road or be run following the side-adventure The New Mine Masters if your party decides to investigate a map they might have discovered. The Preface explains where it fits in the scheme of things, and how - as low-level characters - the party will be concentrating on survival amidst the turmoil, but even now should be beginning to realise that there's a bit more than a few raids going on. Throught this adventure (and following ones) they will meet many NPCs, and the sort of impression they make will colour how they are viewed later on in the campaign.

The gist of the adventure is that the party will discover just how much damage the Kan Demon raiders have done as they continue their journey to Bray's Bay. It's assumed that they still will go there, due to a combination of the reasons they had for going there in the first place and the encouragement of various NPCs. The action takes place on the road from a hamlet called Siver's Mill that is not far from Bray's Bay and includes a visit to a manor house that belongs to the governor of the area and another farmhouse that is under attack. Plenty to keep the party occupied.

This is a fairly short adventure and probably will occupy but a single session, unless the party gets into a lot of brawls. It's a bit of an anti-climax after the last core adventure, appearing just to be to get the party from one place to another... but even though the party may not realise it, some of the encounters are of considerable significance and will prove worthwhile in hindsight. There are a few notes to aid you in dealing with wayward parties who refuse to travel on the road and a couple of handouts, along with monster notes and NPC statistics.

This is definitely a 'mid-campaign' adventure and would be no use on its own. It ends on a hilltop looking down on Bray's Bay... all ready for the next adventure. One wonders just why this and the next one (Muscle, Sinew and Wood) were not combined - even the next side adventure is supposed to occur later, if you choose to use it. Yes, it moves the plot along. Yes, it introduces at least one important person who'll feature later... but there's a question as to why it has to be presented as a separate adventure.

Return to Smoke on the Horizon page.

Reviewed: 16 May 2017