Review: A Man was Killed in Reveshire, by Crab Dominion
A Man was Killed in Reveshire is an 8-page adventure for Cairn created for the 2023 A Town, a Forest, a Dungeon Jam.
In short: I think this is a great adventure. The premise is unique and the setting is engaging. My only complaint is that I want more material to work with as a Warden to flesh it out in play, although Crab Dominion is already adding more since I first reviewed this.
Adventure Summary: PCs enter a village in winter and are selected to help solve a murder since they are the only new people in town and not possible suspects. They can meet several suspects in town before heading into the woods, with encounters and more suspects along the way, and ending at a crypt with the body of the victim. The culmination is a choice to name a suspect, who will likely be immediately executed.
What I Like: First off, the premise of the adventure is engrossing. PCs are tasked with investigating a recent murder. There are several NPCs with potential motives and clues spread around the adventuring space, but there is no set solution, and the real trick is the moral dilemma of making the decision with the potential of sending an innocent person to their death.
Secondly, the setting well-described without being overly wordy, and it feels like a fun place to explore. I particularly like the Winter Woman, a local legend tied to the true story of a woman who froze to death in the forest, who seems like a mere legend at first, but may also attack if PCs spend too long in the woods.
The layout is also excellent, making good use of the text to give a distinctive feel without art.
What I Don't Like: I originally reviewed this before the random encounter tables for the woods and crypt were added, and I noted how details like that felt missing, but the adventure is already greatly improved with the addition of those tables and their fun mechanic for cranking up the danger the longer PCs explore (adding +1 to each consecutive encounter roll).
There are still some things I think would help to round it out, such as maps of the forest and crypt with more concrete locations to visit in them, and maybe more suspects in the murder, although it would be easy to have too many if not careful, and the current number may be best. But, I know Crab Dominion has plans for more over time, and I'm excited to see anything else that's added.