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The Waxwyrm Bounties [ D&D 5e ] | Review
We have reached the 5th visit with Menagerie Press, whom we thank again for providing us with a new adventure for review, entitled The Waxwyrm Bounties, English adventure for D&D5e. This is designed for 3-7 characters of levels 3-5. The author is William Murakami-Brundage (Adûl, City of Gold, The Dream Prison, The Black Lotus of Thalarion e Clash at Kell Crenn). The Waxwyrm Bounties is available for purchase at DrivetrhuRPG in PDF for $ 11.99 (about € 10) and under soft cover for $ 14.99 (about € 12.50); as of today, these are discounted to $ 8.99 (about € 7.50) and $ 13.99 (about € 12.00), respectively.
The Eye Wants Its Part Too
The Waxwyrm Bounties adventure manual presents itself with the recognizable and always practical style of the publications of D&D5e and Menagerie Press. So the two-column layout, the clear tables with text boxes and the notes with chromatic emphasis allow a good reading and a fluid management of the adventure. At the end of the manual you will find the usual appendices containing the new creatures and new magical items. Personally, I would have included the descriptions of these elements within the adventure, as a matter of practical use.
The graphics aren’t strong in this manual, although the illustrations are pleasant and of a good standard. There is an improvement over some previous publications, with the inclusion of good full-page illustrations. The maps are simple and well-presented. In order to have a clear and optimal artistic direction, the presence of so many different artists and styles doesn’t help. While it doesn’t affect the final, overall experience, it would have been nice to see some more artwork dedicated to the creatures and NPCs players are intended to encounter.
The Waxwyrm Bounties: Plot Review
The fundamental part of every adventure is the plot. This beautiful story is all that players need to have fun, get excited, and sometimes even to learn something, despite being simple and straightforward.
In order not to spoil things, I will only report the introduction of the adventure:
“A monstrous raid has left the town of Ashwood in ruins. The desperate townsfolk have placed bounties on the creatures leading the raiders, hoping heroes and mercenaries will come to save what is left of Ashwood.”
This simple introduction is a great classic, lending itself well to both a campaign start and a secondary mission within a main storyline. But don’t be fooled because simplicity, if well-presented, can be better than many complex and convoluted narratives. This simplicity makes it easily adapted to other fantasy settings, with the possibility of being a starting point in various circumstances. In addition, this adventure is adaptable to any group of adventurers, both as a composition and for the reasons that may have led them to Ashwood.
Another strong point is the freedom left to the players, who aren’t channeled into forced choices by the information they find. Furthermore, interesting details and places belonging to the adventure are scattered, allowing the narrator to include ideas for new connections with which to pique interest at the table.
The Bounty: from Information to Capture
The only flaw, in my opinion, is the little investigation necessary to obtain useful information to follow the adventure. I would have included a few more social interactions in the introduction, breaking the information that each individual possesses into smaller fragments; perhaps leaving some a little more hidden and difficult to find. For example, the classic terrified child who has seen something but does not want to talk about it. Or the parasite of the city who sells information; who knows which are true and which are false. This would have expanded the descriptions of the inhabitants and of the city itself, which I found to be a bit sparse.
Also, I would have made it a little more difficult to find the creatures on which the bounties hang during the exploration phase. I think a player attracted by bounties would appreciate having to role-play the hunt and search for the right track.
By inserting some investigations, a bit of pathos could be generated in the characters for a final twist. The twist, although not always easy to create, is always pleasant for both the players and the narrator. On this adventure, a good twist can be created with a few additions from a skilled storyteller,.
Even with these shortcomings, I believe that The Waxwyrm Bounties adventure remains enjoyable to play.
Final Observations of The Waxwyrm Bounties Review
The Waxwyrm Bounties is an adventure for D&D5e with a classic style, but adaptable to other fantasy settings. As a low-level adventure, it lends itself well to players new to RPGs or the setting in question, moreover, it sidesteps many technicalities by concentrating on going on an adventure in a genuine and spontaneous way.
Likewise, nothing is missing to satisfy even a more experienced group of players; the narrator is left with ideas to extend the plot through new, interesting stories or by taking advantage of the extensive material made available by Menagerie Press.