Seven Swords of Sin

Seven Swords of Sin An Open Games License Module for 7^th Level Characters, by James Lafond Sutter.

As always when reviewing game modules; if you are a Dungeon Master, there is no such thing as spoiler. If you are a player, stop reading here and mark this review Very Helpful.

When the Magazine Dragon and its sister title Dungeon closed up shop, it was a grim day indeed for gamers everywhere. This left an empty niche in the market place, and while it has not been filled, there are plenty of people scrambling to exploit this.

One of the ones in the best position to do so is Piazo Publishing, the company that had the contract with Wizards of the Coast to produce Dragon and Dungeon. Now, they have started their own line of Game Mastery Modules; stand alone adventures set in a world of their own devising.

The Rune lords were ancient Sorcerer Kings. Their empire once ruled most of the known world, and when it fell, an age of darkness descended upon the land. Now, centuries later, their artifacts are still causing problems in the world.

One set of these artifacts are known as the Seven Swords of Sin. Once weapons of great virtue meant to serve the justice of each of the Seven Rune lords, these swords became corrupt as the Empire became corrupt, now they represent the powers of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Someone has been stealing these swords, no doubt for foul purposes. The adventurers are hired to discover the location of one of the swords, and to return it to its rightful owner.

The module is divided into an introduction, The City on the Cliff, Tirana's Lair, and three appendices. There are maps on the inside covers, and the last page has four regenerated characters for the spectacularly lazy.

The introduction is minimalist, giving the Adventure Background, so the DM knows the history of what has gone before, then there is a Adventure Synopsis, which gives a rough outline of how the adventure should go. A brief introduction gets the players started, and then its off to the City on the Cliff.

This section describes a city built totally inside an ancient fortress. Here the characters must search for clues to the location of Tirana's lair. A dodgy dwarf wants help quelling a local gang, and is willing to trade the information of the lair for this favor.

Tirana has taken refuge in a hidden laboratory, a forgotten hive of technoarcanology. Here the heroes must bypass guards, traps, dungeon beasts, and forgotten tech that is as dangerous as any of the above. Finally they must face Tirana in the process of wrenching unimaginable power from the collected swords.

Afterwards, assuming they win, they are faced with the problem of what to do with seven artifacts.

The First Appendix deals with Kaer Magna, the fortress city. The Second, with New Monsters, always fun, because they throw your players for a loop. The Third Appendix deals with new magic items, including the Sword of Lust, the only one of the Swords to be fully awakened.

These modules are set on the Piazo created world, with their backstory, but with a little work, you can place this where you want. I adapted it to Greyhawk, making the Rune lords a cabal of ancient Suel wizards.

The production is first rate, with glossy paper, and colour illustrations throughout. This is a well designed adventure, with some neat treasures than might be considered too powerful, if they weren't nailed down and unremovable. These kinds of dungeons inspire my players to all sorts of creative misuse.

At $12.95 for 32 pages, it's a little high end, but the extra money pays for the excellent art, some of which is indispensable in helping the adventurers solve a puzzle. I must say, I think its worth the price.

In fond Memory of Gary Gygax, Father of Dungeons and Dragons.

27 July, 1938 -4 March, 2008

You enriched my life.