Well done! I never ran it, partly because that swamp adventure made me wonder WTH was going on. I did end up liking a lot after reading it, and I did consider just ignoring the encounter and using it anyway, but I never did so. Though I did mine it for ideas. I want to dig it back out and reread it now after thirty years or so of ignoring it, and once again remember what is what within this module as I tended over the years to get X4-5 and I3-5 confused in my battered brain. 😀
Nice treatment of this module. Great artwork in it. Better than most of the period, I believe. I've never ran it. Indeed, I only recently acquired it, thinking I'd like to run a desert themed campaign. So I purchased X3, X4, X5, I4, I5, and I9, to just that end. Said adventure would culminate in a rather beefed up B4, which I still don't have a physical copy of, BTW, only the PDF. The much loved modules are always rather pricy, aren't they; and I refuse to buy paper copies that are only fit for the bin for the exorbitant prices people ask for them (maybe someday soon I'll get my hands on a good one). Sadly, the desert campaign did not happen. I expect them to be interest reads, though. You've run all of the above, with the exception of I9, haven't you?
I think I went through these. I seem to recall a teleport that really screwed up our mapping. I am not saying this was a long time ago or anything but we were listening to the newly released Men at Work tape "Cargo" in the background.
I would be curious for you to do some other reviews of modules from the timeframe ('X' or 'B" series) that you didn't know and own as a kid... and see if the rose coloured glasses effect would still be in effect. I often find that the nostalgia for me is huge with some of them... and it is hard for me to be truly critical. For example, I can't count the number of times I plaid "Rahasia" (B7). _EDIT_ I just realized you have a lot more reviews that show up on your initial home-page on TH-cam. I'm going to have to go and look through them more carefully.
Yep, I've reviewed quite a few.... it would feel wrong for me to review the stuff I didn't own though, as I feel a reviewer can't be accurate unless they've actually experienced the product.
X5 was the very first module I ever bought and I love it. I didn’t get X4 for a number of years and by then I had plundered X5 so much I knew that the campaign wouldn’t work as those players had effectively played X5. I did end up running the campaign with a different group though and it went really well. I always think that these two modules would do well getting the Saltmarsh treatment for 5E. I guess that won’t happen as WotC seem determined to keep everything on the Sword Coast. Maybe one day…
I worry about WotC working on these 2... as I have mentioned in my X5 review, there's more than a nod to the Master running a dictatorial Theocracy much like the Ayatollahs of Iran. WotC would almost certainly change that....
You’re right Mr.@@yeoldegeek71 I hadn’t considered that. In light of the potential parallels to existing cultures, they might steer clear of the desert nomads altogether and give this little campaign a pass. They certain wouldn’t do it as written.
Some of them now have official 5E versions... looking back I made them a little underpowered, but they worked ok. I made every effort to keep their special powers as per the Expert D&D originals.
As you may already know, Goodman Games have announced Dark Tower for 5E and DCC. More great potential for desert campaigns or suitable trade route pass. I'm looking to link up a story to the Nithians on the Isle of Dread and elsewhere.
The art is brooding and evocative. David Cook nailed the Robert E. Howard feel with this module, despite its occasional odd bits. And be thankful you don’t have X10, the loose sequel. It is a flimsy and inferior adventure, with frankly offensive art depicting the Master as Ayatollah Khomeini.
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Never had this one, and now I think I might need to track it down.
Thank you for whispering it to me
X4 and X5 are 2 of my favorite modules of all time!
Also one of my first modules. I loved X4/5. You’re right, this would work pretty well with 5th edition.
those juggarnauts......
I imagine a few fireballs cast into the inside of a Juggernaut would eliminate the crew. 🤗
Great review. Gives me a few ideas for a desert campaign into Darokin.
Well done!
I never ran it, partly because that swamp adventure made me wonder WTH was going on. I did end up liking a lot after reading it, and I did consider just ignoring the encounter and using it anyway, but I never did so. Though I did mine it for ideas. I want to dig it back out and reread it now after thirty years or so of ignoring it, and once again remember what is what within this module as I tended over the years to get X4-5 and I3-5 confused in my battered brain. 😀
Nice treatment of this module.
Great artwork in it. Better than most of the period, I believe.
I've never ran it. Indeed, I only recently acquired it, thinking I'd like to run a desert themed campaign. So I purchased X3, X4, X5, I4, I5, and I9, to just that end. Said adventure would culminate in a rather beefed up B4, which I still don't have a physical copy of, BTW, only the PDF. The much loved modules are always rather pricy, aren't they; and I refuse to buy paper copies that are only fit for the bin for the exorbitant prices people ask for them (maybe someday soon I'll get my hands on a good one). Sadly, the desert campaign did not happen. I expect them to be interest reads, though.
You've run all of the above, with the exception of I9, haven't you?
I've not run X3 or I9.
I think I went through these. I seem to recall a teleport that really screwed up our mapping. I am not saying this was a long time ago or anything but we were listening to the newly released Men at Work tape "Cargo" in the background.
Wham and Duran Duran dominated the charts here when I bought it....
I would be curious for you to do some other reviews of modules from the timeframe ('X' or 'B" series) that you didn't know and own as a kid... and see if the rose coloured glasses effect would still be in effect.
I often find that the nostalgia for me is huge with some of them... and it is hard for me to be truly critical. For example, I can't count the number of times I plaid "Rahasia" (B7).
_EDIT_
I just realized you have a lot more reviews that show up on your initial home-page on TH-cam. I'm going to have to go and look through them more carefully.
Yep, I've reviewed quite a few.... it would feel wrong for me to review the stuff I didn't own though, as I feel a reviewer can't be accurate unless they've actually experienced the product.
Excellent review!
Thank you muchly!
@@yeoldegeek71 👍🏼👍🏼
X5 was the very first module I ever bought and I love it. I didn’t get X4 for a number of years and by then I had plundered X5 so much I knew that the campaign wouldn’t work as those players had effectively played X5. I did end up running the campaign with a different group though and it went really well. I always think that these two modules would do well getting the Saltmarsh treatment for 5E. I guess that won’t happen as WotC seem determined to keep everything on the Sword Coast. Maybe one day…
I worry about WotC working on these 2... as I have mentioned in my X5 review, there's more than a nod to the Master running a dictatorial Theocracy much like the Ayatollahs of Iran. WotC would almost certainly change that....
You’re right Mr.@@yeoldegeek71 I hadn’t considered that. In light of the potential parallels to existing cultures, they might steer clear of the desert nomads altogether and give this little campaign a pass. They certain wouldn’t do it as written.
I would love to see your 5e adaptations of the monsters from this module.
Some of them now have official 5E versions... looking back I made them a little underpowered, but they worked ok. I made every effort to keep their special powers as per the Expert D&D originals.
As you may already know, Goodman Games have announced Dark Tower for 5E and DCC. More great potential for desert campaigns or suitable trade route pass. I'm looking to link up a story to the Nithians on the Isle of Dread and elsewhere.
I'm on the kickstarter launch notification list for this one ;)
The art is brooding and evocative. David Cook nailed the Robert E. Howard feel with this module, despite its occasional odd bits.
And be thankful you don’t have X10, the loose sequel. It is a flimsy and inferior adventure, with frankly offensive art depicting the Master as Ayatollah Khomeini.