Player Survey [C]: Adventure Modules? Tile Mosaic of Adventures in a Homebrew World

Hello again Players! Picture a tile mosaic. The 2-dozen colorful tiles are published Adventure Modules selected by Gold from a mix of sources (mostly considered akin to classic TSR AD&D modules). The grout or filling in between the tiles is the homebrew world, made up from any conflicts or relationships in the setting, which surrounds and over-wraps the modules. You could easily traverse in & out of the tiles, or go to another tile (party's choice). There are many options and different directions. Your character development and context in the world should be ever-present. All our goals are good. Everything in-between modules and over-riding is connected to your personal stories that we develop together as the game goes along. The larger themes involve the homebrew world and your character's development to a higher status. Even within the modules, some of the scenarios should relate to characters in the party. There are a litany of classic and near-classic modules that can help you progress along your way, earning treasure, experience, solving mysteries, eliminating evil threats and assailants, and discovering your character's potential. The adventures may be side-quests for you, or they may be directly related to your PC's goals and aspirations. It will vary, PC to PC and from one session to another. To the best of my imagination as DM, the modules are selected and tweaked in ways to be fitting for the party members, and to suit the group's interests, and to flow neatly (if fantastically) in connection with whatever original goals the party develops outside the modules. There are only my 10-15 favorite modules that would be likely, although I'm reading frequently and could find new inspirations as we are playing. In a way it could be like several modules combine in an arc, and several home-brewed aspirations are achieved along the way, all eventually together in one big saga, one super adventure. That's the lofty goal for the overall campaign. I may be overstating what can be accomplished. We are trying to achieve this, together. I want to ask the Players for written feedback and thoughts on the Published Adventure Modules portion of the overall campaign. Classic Modules Ok? 1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D modules in this campaign? Would you want to? Excited? OK with it? Conditional? (This question is meant in a good way, like "What do you like about the idea of playing modules?") Will you be reading along as we play it? 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? It's easy with the internet these-days to find the PDF of almost any module. If you hear the DM say some quirky phrase, location name or magic item that obviously comes from the module and not from Gold's imagination, you can just Google it and the module text will probably come up! For free! For some reason this gives the DM pause, feeling that someone's adventures could be spoiled by having knowledge or expectations of what's coming next due to knowing something about the original module, or outright reading-along. Even if the Player is really good at separating Player knowledge from their PC. I'd rather Players have a certain degree of confusion, discovery, exploration, freshness, and non-expectation of the next scenario. The DM will give enough hints when it's needed. I'm being honest, and would like players to be candid with me on this as well. Are there Modules you always wanted to play? 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? Also mention if you have or would read that module, or if you've never played it, what have you heard about it that makes you want to play that kind of module? (Good things: Saying that you heard good things about a certain popular module but you haven't read the details, or it's been so many years you forgot the details and would love to play it again at this age with the new party... Or if you feel you're really good at separating Player knowledge of the module from in-game expectations?). Note that I'll change things, as DM, in any and every module. Modules known to avoid for any reason? 5. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? What are the ones you'd be spoiled, bored, sick of playing it, or feel like you wouldn't want to play that kind of module? You can just list a few example module titles, if you know any that should be skipped , or just speak generally. In the alternative you can say if you're not bothered and would be happy to take-on any adventure. (This is meant for listing modules to Exclude, Avoid, for whatever reasons, if any). I'm going to answer this one too.. (Next post)

1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D modules in this campaign? I would dearly like to DM some of the best modules, out of the many-many modules I have played, DM'd, or simply READ. Some of the modules I want to run were fun parts of successful campaigns I've been in before, that just worked (for the players and the DM). Others are modules I read, saved and collected, waiting for the right group. There are 10-20 modules located on the world map of this campaign right now. These are literally my hand-picked Top 12 favorites that I like to think would work for this group of players. A few higher level modules are waiting around the edges. 4-5 modules suitable for 1st level are reasonably near the party at the start of play (with plenty of homebrew glue all around to fill-in until you settle on a quest to undertake as a party). --- Explore the Town of Portlandio a bit. Gear up. Stay out of trouble. Keep an eye out. Watch the lovely weather passing by. (Where you are now, meeting each other as a party.) --- Sea Lions Island (in the bay) --- Old Fort (on the ocean coast) --- Old Mansion (on the bay cliff coast) ---Wild Elf King (whom Anariel feasted in his court) and why his dwarf contacts are not answering their door at the call of trade (in the foothills forests and under a mountain East from the outpost of Ota the relative of Mithros). Those are affiliated with 5 different adventure modules, actually. But #1 is supposed to be the prequel, and helps bring everything together regardless which path you go next. Different PC's have already learned tidbits and clues and hooks about some of these, in your origin stories. We can talk about it and rehash it when we play next week. Remember there are substantially more hooks and options forming in the game besides these. Grys wants to find help (which he will tell you about). The elves each have their own motives. The Kenku character is full of aspirations. All those things can be pursued to. Anyone can persuade the party through Roleplaying if you strongly feel the party should resolve a certain plot or mission (implore them kindly, not overboard, but in character to a reasonable extent as you like, and go along if outvoted). I just wanted to highlight that these are good options for actual modules to pursue *in addition to* your character goals and party agenda. I guess it sounds like I want to do it all. Actually I want the party to have many choices, and become a collective, and forge a destiny. 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? Yes, I'm the DM, so I will read the module carefully, and tweak certain things to fit our campaign, to my best estimation. I'm asking for the Players to pledge to avert your eyes from module spoilers, module purchases, and reading along for the duration of the campaign (like hints and even RPG reviews that might mention magic items, secret doors, frenemies, and other cluebooks that apply to AD&D-era modules from 1975-2000). And come-clean if you already know a module's twists so I can omit it from the campaign. 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? Yes, of course, always wanted to play modules like: White Plume Mountain Against The Cult of The Reptile Gods The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga Dragon Mountain Night Below The Sentinel / The Gauntlet Test Of The Samurai Rage of the Rakasta The Ghost Tower Of Inverness Dungeon Magazine modules Dragon Magazine adventures And that's just naming some that will mostly NOT be in this campaign. These are examples that might be related to my campaign selections, without directly naming the ones that I've selected for possibilities for starting this campaign. There can be modules from AD&D 1st edition, AD&D 2nd edition, D&D (old school), D&D clones and similacrums from the old school revival, magazines, and adventure books / compendiums / book-of-lairs. 5. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? No Temple Of Elemental Evil... No Village Of Hommlet.. played it out enough already (when I was a kid, actually). Also it's a more grim setting compared to this high-fantasy world we're in. No "Slavers" series... because literally, slavery, is not a major theme in my campaign. It's just not. There is persecution, hardship, and injustice in the game world, there is certainly evil, and evil overlords on the rise, and there are geas and quest and servants and henchmen, but I just don't run slavery cultures as a theme. They might exist on another continent in the world (like in Game of Thrones / Essos), but not on the frontier continent that we're on (which is like geographical fantasy Canada with an ocean South-side). No Drow / Spider Queen modules. Although there may be drow and spiders and spider queens if you go in the wrong tunnel, it won't be from the modules though. No "Megadungeon" or "Eternal underdark" products. They are fun but not for this kind of wide ranging indoors-outdoors campaign. No (or few, if any) modules from cloistered settings of Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Spelljammer, Planescape, Ravenloft, Birthright, Cthulu, Dark Sun, 3E, 4E, 5E, and if there are modules from any of these brands, it would be completely stripped of ties to the brand-setting and would be repurposed for the homebrew world. Read thread from the Top post!

1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D modules in this campaign? Very, very excited. I think the way that Gold and I first got in touch on Roll 20 was me posting a message saying that I wanted to play classic D&D modules. Running through some of them within the broader arc of a home-brewed campaign would be great. 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? Absolutely not! I am so averse to spoilers that I close my eyes when a trailer comes on for a movie that I think I might want to see. Sometimes I also put my fingers in my ears and hum. 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? I have a long list of modules that I heard about when I was a kid, but never got the chance to play, because most of our games were home-brew. You couldn't even easily get a lot of modules back then. And then there are also modules I have since heard about from "best of" lists and the like. And then, I just like the feel of old-school TSR stuff. It's nostalgic for me. A shortish list: B/X D&D: pretty much any of the old B/X modules except the first two. Especially Lost City, Night's Dark Terror, Castle Amber, Veiled Society, Palace of the Silver Princess, Horror on the Hill AD&D: Saltmarsh and its sequels; also the other "UK" modules, I've heard they're all good; Tomb of the Lizard King; Pharaoh and its sequels; Tamoachan; Bone Hill, Assassin's Knot; Tsjocanth and Tharizdun EDIT: Another module that I recently got to play the very start of, and really liked, was Death Frost Doom (for LotFP). Would love to get the chance to play it through properly some time. I also would love to play any Dungeon Crawl Classics adventures. 5. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? Not many. Keep on the Borderlands and In Search of the Unknown! Against the Cult of the Reptile God I did play. Expedition to Barrier Peaks.

Very copacetic. Several of the ones Flutic wants to play are here! And none of the 4 he doesn't want to play. Other players --- take your time, but answer when you can, whether short or long answer.

As I said to you Gold! You could put in any module and I would think it was home-brewed I've never heard of any nor played any so whatever you guys fancy I'm good with. xD

1. I would be more than happy to play some modified and touched up classic modules it adds some great guide lines and just can really add some cool things to a campaign and a lot of them are just very fun and all the material they present is very useful. Then retooling them to a homebrew world and making them unique and fresh again sounds really awesome. Also of the five you just listed that are inspired by modules wild elf king I have to say sounds really cool. 2. I would not intend to look anything up at least not until we were past the point of it basically I may once we are past a part that has been completed or a check point if you will I might ask what module and refer to it and read up on the parts we have done to see changes inspiration and such just for my own curiosity, but none of the parts we haven't done yet. Even if I did get any spoilers or anything I would keep all of that out of character and make certain to not share it as to not ruin it for anyone else. 3. I have played only a few modules Keep on the Borderlands being one of them Wrath of the Immortals and I have played almost all of the Dark Sun modules. The first and last obviously not being part or involved in this world. I would have to look at a list at modules I would be excited to play and kind of go through, first and foremost I will say the one I know we will not do Tomb of Horrors, but someday I keep itching to play that one. Here is a short list of Modules I think would be fitting to what you described and I would really like to do at some point Rod of Seven Parts (A series of adventures hunting down the pieces of the rod of seven parts to reassemble it) Veiled Society Horror on the Hill (Both of which I have in common with Gray I have no knowledge of the other modules from that series so those are the only two I can say I have interest in) Crown of Ancient Glory 5. For the last bit I can not say I have over played or over used any module because I have mostly done homebrew things. I have DMed and played and read all the Dark Sun modules. I have read and played and read a few of the greyhawk modules.

I've not played any modules before so i'm happy with whatever you want to put in.

1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D modules in this campaign? As long as the tie between the module and the rest of the setting makes sense, I have nothing against playing modules. 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? No way. If I'd do that, I would not have any incentive to play anymore. I imagine it would become boring very quickly. 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? This will be my first game. I know absolutely no modules :) 4/5. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? Same as my previous answer.

Welcome, indeed, Hans. (New player applicant). We've had 2 adventure sessions so far with this party. The first session, they completed a one-page adventure module from Classic D&D, which was blended unrecognizably with my own homemade adventures, NPC's, and setting. (That one is the St. Patrick's quest story, talked about in the March Journals). I changed the module so much, satyrs and centaurs from the module were converted into a Leprechaun forest, with some other pixies and sprites. The dryads from the module were kept in the story. They saved a dryad and returned her to her soul-tree, lest she perish. 2nd adventure session, just this week they started, and it is based on a famous and highly-reviewed adventure module, one that is frequently cited on the Top 10 Best modules. This module will take several sessions to play through, so I won't hint anymore about the actual title. It is integrated in the world setting. The party members have their own motives for biting into the adventure hooks. We are off to a good start. It will be easy to bring a new character in. The Journal threads should help you catch-up on who the current party members are, and where they have gotten to so far. It's not like they are deep in a dungeon and we need to magically teleport a new character to their location, like "poof". They are near a town, near a sea coast with ships, near a swamp that has people like Bullywugs and Lizardmen, and down-river from the Elf forests and the Dwarf mountains. Depending on what type of new character, we will dialog and figure out your place-of-origin, and determine how you got from your origins to the current area. We will play-out the initial meeting with the party. Going to be fun!

1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D modules in this campaign? I played classic AD&D modules, but probably very modified. The DMs of those games were folks who probably started playing in the 70's, and we always played 1st/2nd edition. I assume that they played a lot of the same modules over and over again with different groups, and modified them to high hell at the point in which I came to play. 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? I'm a good player, and was taught by a group of classic D&Ders not to look up monsters in the Monster Manual, read modules, etc. Also very good about not metagaming, and I do my best to play my characters true to their motivations and proclivities. 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? Never read any! 4/5. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? I don't know the module names. Never played underwater / oriental adventures. I only remember playing classic dungeons, forest, and town adventures. My favorite thing a past DM ever did was delve deeply into our character classes/backstories and maintained intrigue into an overarching plot throughout the campaign with a nemesis, and created special stories / alliances for individual PCs depending on class type (e.g. Druid did a quest to find her animal companion, special requests from Druid enclaves, able to "quick" travel lands using special Druidic centers in forests... or a Fighter character that was inducted into a secret clan with special sigils, assignments, items, but unable to tell other characters about it, etc.) For this campaign, the PCs are fairly free to create their own special individual stories, so it seems to work similarly. :)

Classic Modules Ok? 1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D modules in this campaign? The modules seem like a efficient way to provide background details and filler for the DM.  Will you be reading along as we play it? 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? I feel like looking up the module is the equivalent of peeking over the DM's screen. I intentionally avoid the monster manual and adventure modules for this very reason. There is nothing worse then a player correcting the DM about his own tools ("Actually, those skeletons should have 13 ac, not 14 ac DM.") Are there Modules you always wanted to play? 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? I had limited experience with the modules, but I enjoyed my short time playing modules that were about traveling between planes of existence . There was a  feeling of exploration , and after a module finished, we would teleport to a new plane and start a different adventure. This may not fit the theme of Portlandio, but is something to consider for future adventures. Modules known to avoid for any reason? 5. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? I do not have any negative experience with AD&D modules.

1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D Pretty excited since i hadn't played for 30+ years, and that is what i played and remember, to a point. It has been a long time. so details are not so good.but since we were young i'm sure they were thrown in a pot and home brewed to boiling point. i'm just an old guy that remembers sitting at the table character sheets strewn about,everyone had their dice.pencils everywhere, with the DM at the head with his screen.and listening intently to his descriptions of monsters and landscapes and situations. using my imagination to do some crazy things that should have never worked. but the roll of the dice determined the outcome. i liked the fact that we rolled for everything.you stated your intentions. and you rolled or the GM rolled to determine your fate. and working as a team to get the job done.....or you die trying. 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? That's cheating... 3 things in this world i do not like one bit. cheaters.lairs and thieves the whole point of playing a game is the risk reward factor. the reward is winning. and the risk is you may die trying.on the mundane end you just loose. 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? I don't know if i would say i was excited about modules but just knowing that our game is based on my fond memories of D&D would be the excitement. For some reason i remember caves of chaos, and would like to play that. 5. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? I do have a stack of modules in a box somewhere from back in the day, traded a kid for something,believe it or not i never read them nor played them. although i'm sure other friends i played with used some of them. but it was so long ago i don't remember details.

1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D Its D&D, lets play any and all things, Modules or random off the top of the head stuff. Its all part of the adventures. 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? Absolutely not. Even though i am good at separating player/character knowledge, it ruins the mystery of the adventure. After running it in a group, i may look to see if we missed stuff and be like "doh". Plus, Gold is amazing at adjusting modules for the home brew feel, as he did with the Sharkfort, which i had played the original 3 part module literally 3 weeks before joining this group, and Golds modifications made it a brand new adventure for me. 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? See answer to #1 4. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? no idea, i would read all of my grandfathers books just for something to do before i even realized it was a game. cant recall if we ever played the modules, but im sure we did. but i have never DM'd a module, any DM i did was strictly in my own hand made worlds and on the fly adventuring.

Classic Modules Ok? 1. What's your feeling about playing some "classic" or like-classic D&D modules in this campaign? Personally myself I prefer to think my GM is homebrew fresh writing all the content in their game....Though with this game I'd never notice. Will you be reading along as we play it? 2. If you notice we are playing an adventure module, will you look it up on the internet to get hints? Lol Nope. Are there Modules you always wanted to play? 3. If you are excited about modules, you can List a few Examples of some Titles of Modules that you really Want to play? No titles, but I'm looking for things that let me explore my character. Or let me explore other party members' inner lives or their pasts. I'm more of a character arcs  (I loooooooooooooooooooove these for both others and my own characters) person over a modules person. However, I do like both at the end of the day. Though...Ravenloft like content would be sweeeeet (I LOVE HAUNTED HOUSES AND HAUNTED ADVENTURES) I like a lot of things. Modules known to avoid for any reason? 5. What are some of the modules you've played or over-played? Read or DM'd? Not off the top of my head.

Index of Modules and Chapters that we Played in this Campaign (!!!) 1 Campaign 3 Years 10 Modules (+35 Homebrew Adventures) 12 Levels 12 Dragons (2 Good) 42 Characters (5 died) (25 players or so) 120 Named NPC's (estimated) 149 Map Pages in Roll20 350 Monster Types (estimated) BOOK ONE -- March-June 2015 Tall Tales of The Wee Folk (D&D Basic) @ Level 1, the party begins to form and joins a fey parade. The Witch's Fiddle (Dungeon Magazine #54 AD&D) Portlandio Bustling (homebrew), exploring the base town for low to mid level adventuring. The Era Of The City Council (homebrew) Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (UK1 AD&D), party investigates haunted house, finds smugglers cave, overtakes pirate ship. Portlandio Roots (homebrew), party founds an Inn with some of the gold pieces gleaned so far from adventuring. Familiars (homebrew) Party Named: The Challengers Of Destiny (homebrew) A Hero's Tale (AD&D 2E) Adventure One: Haggash's Secret BOOK TWO -- July-September 2015 The Near Swamp, The Cold Swamp, and The Deep Swamp (homebrew) @ Level 2 Laffitte (homebrew), party helps a swamp town with strange customs and bird worship. Puzzles: Sinusoidal Phases Of The Moon The Palace of Exile (homebrew based on song) One For Sorrow (homebrew based on poem) The Legend Of Wooly Swamp (homebrew based on song), party manages to kill and loot an undead wight haunting the swamp. Puzzles: Look And Say Number Sequences Danger at Dunwater (UK2 AD&D) @ Level 3, party infiltrates lizardman colony, slays Pan Lung dragon. BOOK THREE -- October-November 2015 Portlandio Swarg-Inn's Sewers (homebrew) The Final Enemy (UK3 AD&D), party organizes 5 armies against threatening Shark Fort. Muddy Portlandio (homebrew) @ Level 4, party helps Portlandio to recover from water based typhoon attack. Portlandio Swords In The Sewers (homebrew), hunting a greater feyr. Umberlee Temple (homebrew) BOOK FOUR -- December 2015 - February 2016 The Road To Awa (homebrew) Citadel By The Sea (Dragon Magazine #78 AD&D), party solves archeological mystery, uncovers lost orc temple in race for spear artifact. Party Named: The Company Of The Broken Spear (homebrew) Winter Sessions (homebrew), party meets a strange variety of extraplanar visitors in a major snowstorm white out. The Rainbow Road (homebrew in Asgard), party travels to Asgard and back to Midgard on a personal character quest against Loki. BOOK FIVE -- March-August 2016 A Hero's Tale (AD&D 2E) Adventure Five: Look Of Love, party evades a medusa who, they learn, has stolen the Bell of Law. The Era Of Yi Ko & Festival Coronation At Kingsbridge (homebrew) @ Level 5 The Road To Ota Sura's (homebrew) A Hero's Tale (AD&D 2E) Adventure Four: Web Of Death Web's Spiders (homebrew) Ork Sports (homebrew) The Silver Key (AD&D 2E) @ Level 6, party agrees to be polymorphed into orc form to infiltrate orcish city taking down rock orc factory. Web's Dracolich (homebrew), party fights an undead dragon. Portlandio Peninsula Farmland (homebrew) Asgard (homebrew extraplanar quest on a video game map), party continues questing for Thor against trickery of Loki. BOOK SIX -- September-November 2016 Wild Arms Caves (homebrew adventure on a video game map) Portlandio Earthquaked (homebrew) The Era Of Che Won (homebrew) @ Level 7 The Cult of The Imperial Bullywug (homebrew) Haven (homebrew), extraplanar bar-b-que Tower Descent (homebrew elemental quest on Roll20 Marketplace Russ Hapke map set), party beat all elementals and quasi-elements. Galeb Duhr Earthbenders (homebrew) Portlandio Ashes Falling (homebrew) @ Level 8 BOOK SEVEN -- December 2016 - January 2017 Ocean Voyage (homebrew), party encounters numerous sea creatures; flees Hag Lair; fights a Yu Lung Carp Dragon. Active Volcano (homebrew) @ Level 9, party completes Elemental quest; kills Red Dragon, Indigo Dragon; saves Copper Dragon eggs. Return Voyage (homebrew), party kills the Typhoon Dragon, celestial lawbreaker and long-time nemesis of the coast. Cosmology of the Inner Planes (homebrew), party members align with personal favorites among the inner planes. BOOK EIGHT -- February-March 2017 Kizoku and Azoul's Pink Palace (homebrew), party members charmed, woo'd, stung and doppled by residents of creepy household. The Era Of Yi Bang (homebrew) @ Level 10 Partytown (homebrew), party founds their own town with their own gold pieces wealth and each character gets a neighborhood. The Quiet Year (non-D&D), party sees their Partytown community evolve by players drawing game question cards with conflicts. The Deep Swamp Again (homebrew), party returns to help Laffitte against another bird threat; hunts Froghemoth; 3 black dragons. BOOK NINE -- April-June 2017 Dungeonland (AD&D by Gary Gygax homage to Lewis Carroll) @ Level 11, party enters extraplanar demi-plane ala Alice In Wonderland. Puzzles: Doublets, Rebus, 101 Riddles, Hearts Cards The Land Beyond The Magic Mirror (AD&D by Gary Gygax homage to Lewis Carroll) @ Level 12 Avatar Of Demogorgon (homebrew) Epilogue (homebrew) BOOK TEN -- The Future ??? Cosmology of the Outer Planes (homebrew) Long Term Heroes (homebrew) Work In Progress Subject To Editing & Additions Players please post comments / corrections / favorite memories / favorite module picks. :)

Having joined at the End of book six I think my favorate Era was book Seven, Travelling was awesome and the adventure at sea is always fun. Loosing my favorate charater to date (Nell) was heartbreaking and then to loose my Spider Druid was equally shocking (hit by lighting...get it......). A special mention would be Book nine's DungeonLand. The mix of puzzle's and combat was really fun.