X10 - Red Arrow, Black Shield

System: Dungeons & Dragons

Code: (X10)

Type: Adventure

Levels: 4-14

Author: Michael S. Dobson

Year: 1985

Publisher: TSR

Format: 48-page book w/tri-fold cover, 200 counters, fold-out map

X10 - Red Arrow, Black Shield

X10 Red Arrow Black shield - all you can say is WOW! The Master of the Desert Nomads is back! After the party thought he had been disposed of in X4 Master of the Desert Nomads and X5 Temple of Death he is back again! And this time - he is planning to take over the entire known world with a far stronger army than before! He underestimated the forces of the Character's lands before - he won't make that mistake again! This module sucks the characters into all kinds of diplomatic missions, introduces them to all the various political systems in their part of the world, gives them various side missions to complete, introduces a large-scale battle system, and gives them the opportunity to defeat the master once and for all! This is a truly epic expert-level adventure!

OK - now - how would I change this one? Man - to be honest - everything is pretty solid. The only part that I would expand on is the end - breaking into the nomad city to kill The Master. I just don't think that there is enough going on there. This is a city of several HUNDRED THOUSAND residents! This place is absolutely MASSIVE! There are no large structures - all just tents set up in the middle of the desert. No city planning or anything. No stats on the number of guards in the outer parts of the city. It is entirely possible for a well-prepared party of characters to wipe out all the outer guards over a span of time. And I would introduce FAR more encounters in the city - if I wanted to expand it. I never did - I just played it out as presented. But I always thought that would be more fun. And what is up with all the creatures that have a turn-to-stone ability? I mean where are all the statues of the hapless peasants?

In the aftermath - well - goodness. This thing is wide open depending on who allied with whom and who won and lost. I definitely feel that this is a natural introduction to the module CM1 Test of the Warlords. The characters will definitely be very well-known and respected after saving the known world from the invading hordes. So after all the dust settles from the war that has raged across the land, the characters should definitely be prepared to start their own kingdoms. Just wow - what a great module!