Bastion of Broken Souls
- Thread starter IronWolf
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Messageboard Golem
First Post
Upon reading the adventure "The Bastion of Broken Souls" my only response can be, 'Yikes'. Bruce Cordell as a DM must have very few players make it to high enough levels to actually play this one. Not one of his three modules in this series have allowed PCs to nance about and BOBS is no exception. BOBS pits the adventurers against the most dangerous creatures in the MM including one surprise encounter anyone who has been following the adventure path series has only heard about in rumor. This, the last of the adventure path modules, not only provides a rollicking adventure full (that's 'full') of danger, but brings a conclusion to the adventure path that is both apt and compelling.
Upon opening this 48-page module, the reader may ask, "Hey! Where's the cream filling?" Illustrations are few and little space is wasted with margins and blank areas. The art that is there is okay, but some of the illustrations seem to have come from other publications. The other question that comes to mind is "What? No large dungeon areas?" Anyone who has seen Bruce Cordell's other modules know that he seems to be a fan of the good old fashioned dungeon crawl. Don't be fooled. The smaller maps in the front are intended to be placed wherever the DM chooses, and (not to spoil the secrets) the area on the back cover is larger than you think. Trust me, you can look forward to many a gaming session completing this adventure.
If I could have given this adventure three and a half stars I would have. One I'll get to later but the other is the way the adventure begins. The adventure starts in the most cliche encounters possible: The PCs are attacked by an other-worldly being and are aided in their time of need by a mysterious NPC who offers his services for free. That's it. No hooks, no way of melding the adventure into the character's lives. just "kick-'em-in-the-teeth". Yes there are rumors to throw out, but these make the players at the table, not the characters, say, "Here we go again. Be on your toes." Anyways, the scene opens as the characters are attacked by a demon and are aided by an NPC who fills them in on as much as he knows and suggests companionship after combat ends.
Despite the shortcomings of the beginning, the middle is where the adventure truly takes off. BC takes the time to address the players capabilities and what can and can't be done and why. This includes scrying, dimensional and planar travel, divinations, mind-affecting spells, teleportation, and other things that could turn this adventure into a cake walk. His reasoning isn't absurd and he introduces something called "The Ban of the Unborn" that can enrich a world as much as provide a vehicle for further adventures. He also provides somewhat for surprises from the PCs may pull.
In order to investigate the strange rumors and the sudden attack, the PCs follow leads to various locations on the prime material and other planes. These include a sanctuary for those who wish to but sleep their lives away, a druid circle, an extra-dimensional prison, and the lair of the demon encountered at the beginning of the adventure. All of these areas are full of dangerous monsters and traps to make the blood grow cold (literally in some cases) and full of interesting NPCs that are not always what they seem. No encounters seem tacked on and they need not be visited in any particular order or at all if the PCs are clever enough.
<Spoiler alert. DMs only!>It is here I will discuss the other item that led to three and a half stars. Combat. The hook? Combat. Want to talk to the leader of the guild of sleep? Combat. Want the Soul Totem? Combat. Want to get into the planar prison? Combat. The demon's lair? Combat. There is role-playing, but almost every being the PCs meet winds up on the point of their sword. It is good for those in the mood for lots of combat, but the tactics of almost every creature will need to be tweaked to allow for parties with other interests. The encounters are VERY difficult (very demon, outsider, and magical beast heavy), too, which can lead to the mysterious tag-along NPC ally saving the day instead of the PCs and this can be unsatisfying for some players. In addition, from the start of the adventure, the DM must mark one of the PCs for death, so be ready for protests from whoever is chosen. Oh, and keep a pre-rolled character ready for that player.
The conclusion is too exciting to give up here, but know it results in the be all and end all of battles against demons of all kinds, very powerful dragonkin, and then of course the real bad guy. Despite the heavy (that is, very heavy) emphasis on combat to further the adventure, BOBS is well worth the time and money spent and a good example of what a DM needs to consider when dealing with PCs at higher levels. BC also introduces a new gaming term: Power-up Suite. That is, all the spells a wizard or other spellcaster has cast to prepare for combat. Therefore, not only do the PCs fight enemies with CRs of 19-22, but these enemies could be already hasted, protected by a globe of invulnerability, spell turning, protection from this or that, true seeing, etc. Whether a Power-Up Suite is active or not is clearly outlined in the creature's tactics so DM guesswork is eliminated. Even when this adventure is concluded, I am still going to use power-up suites, Ban of the Unborn, and other new items and especially the dreamborn monsters introduced in this adventure. Despite the shortcomings discussed above and potential Player-DM relations issues BOBS is worth the money.
Upon opening this 48-page module, the reader may ask, "Hey! Where's the cream filling?" Illustrations are few and little space is wasted with margins and blank areas. The art that is there is okay, but some of the illustrations seem to have come from other publications. The other question that comes to mind is "What? No large dungeon areas?" Anyone who has seen Bruce Cordell's other modules know that he seems to be a fan of the good old fashioned dungeon crawl. Don't be fooled. The smaller maps in the front are intended to be placed wherever the DM chooses, and (not to spoil the secrets) the area on the back cover is larger than you think. Trust me, you can look forward to many a gaming session completing this adventure.
If I could have given this adventure three and a half stars I would have. One I'll get to later but the other is the way the adventure begins. The adventure starts in the most cliche encounters possible: The PCs are attacked by an other-worldly being and are aided in their time of need by a mysterious NPC who offers his services for free. That's it. No hooks, no way of melding the adventure into the character's lives. just "kick-'em-in-the-teeth". Yes there are rumors to throw out, but these make the players at the table, not the characters, say, "Here we go again. Be on your toes." Anyways, the scene opens as the characters are attacked by a demon and are aided by an NPC who fills them in on as much as he knows and suggests companionship after combat ends.
Despite the shortcomings of the beginning, the middle is where the adventure truly takes off. BC takes the time to address the players capabilities and what can and can't be done and why. This includes scrying, dimensional and planar travel, divinations, mind-affecting spells, teleportation, and other things that could turn this adventure into a cake walk. His reasoning isn't absurd and he introduces something called "The Ban of the Unborn" that can enrich a world as much as provide a vehicle for further adventures. He also provides somewhat for surprises from the PCs may pull.
In order to investigate the strange rumors and the sudden attack, the PCs follow leads to various locations on the prime material and other planes. These include a sanctuary for those who wish to but sleep their lives away, a druid circle, an extra-dimensional prison, and the lair of the demon encountered at the beginning of the adventure. All of these areas are full of dangerous monsters and traps to make the blood grow cold (literally in some cases) and full of interesting NPCs that are not always what they seem. No encounters seem tacked on and they need not be visited in any particular order or at all if the PCs are clever enough.
<Spoiler alert. DMs only!>It is here I will discuss the other item that led to three and a half stars. Combat. The hook? Combat. Want to talk to the leader of the guild of sleep? Combat. Want the Soul Totem? Combat. Want to get into the planar prison? Combat. The demon's lair? Combat. There is role-playing, but almost every being the PCs meet winds up on the point of their sword. It is good for those in the mood for lots of combat, but the tactics of almost every creature will need to be tweaked to allow for parties with other interests. The encounters are VERY difficult (very demon, outsider, and magical beast heavy), too, which can lead to the mysterious tag-along NPC ally saving the day instead of the PCs and this can be unsatisfying for some players. In addition, from the start of the adventure, the DM must mark one of the PCs for death, so be ready for protests from whoever is chosen. Oh, and keep a pre-rolled character ready for that player.
The conclusion is too exciting to give up here, but know it results in the be all and end all of battles against demons of all kinds, very powerful dragonkin, and then of course the real bad guy. Despite the heavy (that is, very heavy) emphasis on combat to further the adventure, BOBS is well worth the time and money spent and a good example of what a DM needs to consider when dealing with PCs at higher levels. BC also introduces a new gaming term: Power-up Suite. That is, all the spells a wizard or other spellcaster has cast to prepare for combat. Therefore, not only do the PCs fight enemies with CRs of 19-22, but these enemies could be already hasted, protected by a globe of invulnerability, spell turning, protection from this or that, true seeing, etc. Whether a Power-Up Suite is active or not is clearly outlined in the creature's tactics so DM guesswork is eliminated. Even when this adventure is concluded, I am still going to use power-up suites, Ban of the Unborn, and other new items and especially the dreamborn monsters introduced in this adventure. Despite the shortcomings discussed above and potential Player-DM relations issues BOBS is worth the money.
Messageboard Golem
First Post
Bastion of Broken Souls: A Review
Note: This is not a playtest review. There will be spoilers ahead.
Bastion of Broken Souls (BBS) is the last in the Dungeons and Dragons story path series, and the third written by Bruce Cordell. It is designed for 18th level characters, and should bring them to level 20 or higher.
Format: The module is 48 pages, up from the 32 page count of previous modules in the series, and happily the price is the same. As usual, the inside covers hold the maps. There is a title page, a page with four 18th level pregnerated characters who are be familiar to you all, and 14(!) pages of monster stats and listings of new monsters, spells, and magic items (including four major artifacts). The rest of the module covers the adventure itself. Margins, font size, titles, etc. are exactly as they appear in previous titles in the series. The interior art by David Roach ranges from decent to excellent; I particularly liked the picture of the Cathezar.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
The story: BBS takes up the Ashardalon plot thread that ran through Bruce Cordell's previous two modules in the series (Sunless Citadel and Heart of Nightfang Spire). The PCs find that children are being born soulless, and must track the problem to it's source, which is in another plane. Meanwhile, a pair of feuding demon lords seek one of the PCs to be used to help defeat Ashardalon, the evil behind the soul-stealing, for their own purposes.
The adventure structure is different than the previous two Cordell titles. There is no real dungeon complex in this tale. Instead, the adventure is broken up into two parts:
Part 1: PCs are attacked by agents of one of the demon lords, find out about the soulless child births, and start to investigate. The trail leads them to a number of encounter areas; which areas they go to depend somewhat on what the PCs turn up in their inquiries. This section of the adventure is broken into five encounter areas (called "scenes"), with an additional scene devoted to what happens when the characters use high-level divination and commune type spells.
The placement of the locations in part 1 is largely irrelevant, as it is assumed that PCs will easily be able to transport from one location to the next via high-level magic. Thus, we have a series of loosely connected encounter areas, most of which require battling a guardian before information leading to another area or areas is revealed. Overall, the areas are all interesting, and a couple, the Guild of Sleep and the Church of the Elements, can be inserted in a campaign well before this adventure begins to add depth. The only one of these encounter areas I was disappointed with was the Church of the Elements, which felt like filler material, since there is no opposition to obtaining the information they need there. For all the other areas, they will need to work for their clues. Some of these encounters are quite imaginative, such as the one where the PCs may end up having to fight a solar to progress (quite the moral dilemma for paladins and other good-aligned PCs!).
Part 2: The Bastion of Unborn Souls: Eventually, their enquiries allow them to acquire the knowledge and means to access the Bastion of Unborn Souls, where the second part of the adventure takes place. This is a high level series of interconnected chambers located in the positive energy plane, where they will have to battle minions of the demon lords, Ashardalon's offspring, and creatures native to the Bastion. Further, the area is designed so that PCs will have to travel through all the outlying areas before they can penetrate the central area and take on Ashardalon himself-a CR27 beast!
Taking on all these adversaries will require the players and DM to be on their toes and familiar with the abilities of those they control. It is particularly important in this adventure because much of the adventure is probably going to be spent in high level combat situations. Fortunately for the DM, the monsters are well-presented, with well-thought-out tactics given and "Power-Up Suites" listing spells and items they use before battle, if they have the opportunity (and they almost always do). The Power-Up Suites also give the modified stats for the convenience of the DM.
Summary: This adventure is not a heavily plot-driven specimen, nor is it a dungeon crawl or exploration type adventure-but it does incorporate elements of each, and should delight combat maestros as well as roleplayers, as there are many opportunities to cut deals and talk one's way out of combat.
There are two ways the adventure can be played: deep into a long campaign, or as a one-shot. Mr. Cordell has thoughtfully provided for both styles: several of the locations in the first part can be introduced into a campaign well before the actual adventure begins (and even the plot hooks need not occur simultaneously), and the module can also be tied with the Ashardalon plot from his previous adventures. On the other hand, for those without the time for an extended campaign, pregenerated characters have been provided to get the game going right away.
Overall, I would have to say that no matter which school of gaming you adhere to, roleplaying/plot driven adventures or open-ended exploration, this adventure should appeal to you. I would recommend it particularly for experienced players and DMs, since you should be familiar with the vast array of possible spells, magic items, and monster abilities that can be brought to bear going into this adventure.
Note: This is not a playtest review. There will be spoilers ahead.
Bastion of Broken Souls (BBS) is the last in the Dungeons and Dragons story path series, and the third written by Bruce Cordell. It is designed for 18th level characters, and should bring them to level 20 or higher.
Format: The module is 48 pages, up from the 32 page count of previous modules in the series, and happily the price is the same. As usual, the inside covers hold the maps. There is a title page, a page with four 18th level pregnerated characters who are be familiar to you all, and 14(!) pages of monster stats and listings of new monsters, spells, and magic items (including four major artifacts). The rest of the module covers the adventure itself. Margins, font size, titles, etc. are exactly as they appear in previous titles in the series. The interior art by David Roach ranges from decent to excellent; I particularly liked the picture of the Cathezar.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
The story: BBS takes up the Ashardalon plot thread that ran through Bruce Cordell's previous two modules in the series (Sunless Citadel and Heart of Nightfang Spire). The PCs find that children are being born soulless, and must track the problem to it's source, which is in another plane. Meanwhile, a pair of feuding demon lords seek one of the PCs to be used to help defeat Ashardalon, the evil behind the soul-stealing, for their own purposes.
The adventure structure is different than the previous two Cordell titles. There is no real dungeon complex in this tale. Instead, the adventure is broken up into two parts:
Part 1: PCs are attacked by agents of one of the demon lords, find out about the soulless child births, and start to investigate. The trail leads them to a number of encounter areas; which areas they go to depend somewhat on what the PCs turn up in their inquiries. This section of the adventure is broken into five encounter areas (called "scenes"), with an additional scene devoted to what happens when the characters use high-level divination and commune type spells.
The placement of the locations in part 1 is largely irrelevant, as it is assumed that PCs will easily be able to transport from one location to the next via high-level magic. Thus, we have a series of loosely connected encounter areas, most of which require battling a guardian before information leading to another area or areas is revealed. Overall, the areas are all interesting, and a couple, the Guild of Sleep and the Church of the Elements, can be inserted in a campaign well before this adventure begins to add depth. The only one of these encounter areas I was disappointed with was the Church of the Elements, which felt like filler material, since there is no opposition to obtaining the information they need there. For all the other areas, they will need to work for their clues. Some of these encounters are quite imaginative, such as the one where the PCs may end up having to fight a solar to progress (quite the moral dilemma for paladins and other good-aligned PCs!).
Part 2: The Bastion of Unborn Souls: Eventually, their enquiries allow them to acquire the knowledge and means to access the Bastion of Unborn Souls, where the second part of the adventure takes place. This is a high level series of interconnected chambers located in the positive energy plane, where they will have to battle minions of the demon lords, Ashardalon's offspring, and creatures native to the Bastion. Further, the area is designed so that PCs will have to travel through all the outlying areas before they can penetrate the central area and take on Ashardalon himself-a CR27 beast!
Taking on all these adversaries will require the players and DM to be on their toes and familiar with the abilities of those they control. It is particularly important in this adventure because much of the adventure is probably going to be spent in high level combat situations. Fortunately for the DM, the monsters are well-presented, with well-thought-out tactics given and "Power-Up Suites" listing spells and items they use before battle, if they have the opportunity (and they almost always do). The Power-Up Suites also give the modified stats for the convenience of the DM.
Summary: This adventure is not a heavily plot-driven specimen, nor is it a dungeon crawl or exploration type adventure-but it does incorporate elements of each, and should delight combat maestros as well as roleplayers, as there are many opportunities to cut deals and talk one's way out of combat.
There are two ways the adventure can be played: deep into a long campaign, or as a one-shot. Mr. Cordell has thoughtfully provided for both styles: several of the locations in the first part can be introduced into a campaign well before the actual adventure begins (and even the plot hooks need not occur simultaneously), and the module can also be tied with the Ashardalon plot from his previous adventures. On the other hand, for those without the time for an extended campaign, pregenerated characters have been provided to get the game going right away.
Overall, I would have to say that no matter which school of gaming you adhere to, roleplaying/plot driven adventures or open-ended exploration, this adventure should appeal to you. I would recommend it particularly for experienced players and DMs, since you should be familiar with the vast array of possible spells, magic items, and monster abilities that can be brought to bear going into this adventure.
Messageboard Golem
First Post
This review is for Bastion of Broken Souls by Bruce Cordell and published by Wizards of the Coast. This 48-page adventure is designed for 18th level characters and retails for $9.95.
Spoiler Warning: the following contains secrets central to the adventure
(warning inserted by Psion)
The premise of the adventure involves the demon prince Demogorgon and his internal conflict with his dualistic nature. One of the heads has devised a plan to kill the other and absorb a supercharged demon soul contained in the heart of a great red wyrm in order to survive the ordeal. This wyrm has become supercharged by feeding on preincarnate (unborn) souls. Demogorgon needs an edge in order to slay the dragon. This is where the PCs come in…
This is a story that is heavy on planar travel (having the Manual of the Planes is recommended) and high level challenges and combat. Players will find themselves being tested at every turn and should surpass 20th level by adventure's end. It is one of the better high level adventures available and Bruce Cordell does an admiral job. The encounter with a fallen deity and his prison guard should make the players face some hard moral choices. The final climatic battle with a demonic red dragon will forever be memorable to the players (this guy has 700hp!). Besides combat, the story requires brainpower to know when to negotiate and when to run. When it is all said and done, the characters may find themselves in deep water with their prospective deities, depending on their behavior.
In conclusion, Bastion of Broken Souls is a masterfully written adventure that is the perfect lead-in module for the upcoming Epic Levels Handbook. It has all of the elements of a great and truly unforgettable story. This one belongs in every DM's collection.
To see the graded evaluation of this product, go to The Critic's Corner at www.d20zines.com.
Spoiler Warning: the following contains secrets central to the adventure
(warning inserted by Psion)
The premise of the adventure involves the demon prince Demogorgon and his internal conflict with his dualistic nature. One of the heads has devised a plan to kill the other and absorb a supercharged demon soul contained in the heart of a great red wyrm in order to survive the ordeal. This wyrm has become supercharged by feeding on preincarnate (unborn) souls. Demogorgon needs an edge in order to slay the dragon. This is where the PCs come in…
This is a story that is heavy on planar travel (having the Manual of the Planes is recommended) and high level challenges and combat. Players will find themselves being tested at every turn and should surpass 20th level by adventure's end. It is one of the better high level adventures available and Bruce Cordell does an admiral job. The encounter with a fallen deity and his prison guard should make the players face some hard moral choices. The final climatic battle with a demonic red dragon will forever be memorable to the players (this guy has 700hp!). Besides combat, the story requires brainpower to know when to negotiate and when to run. When it is all said and done, the characters may find themselves in deep water with their prospective deities, depending on their behavior.
In conclusion, Bastion of Broken Souls is a masterfully written adventure that is the perfect lead-in module for the upcoming Epic Levels Handbook. It has all of the elements of a great and truly unforgettable story. This one belongs in every DM's collection.
To see the graded evaluation of this product, go to The Critic's Corner at www.d20zines.com.
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