The Evil GM - Review of A1 - Far Away Land RPG Adventures: Isle of the Rat Wizard

Today I decided to take a look at one of the modules for the Far Away Land RPG. Of course you all may or may not know this game has quickly jumped onto my #1 game to play list. Why?

It's simple, streamlined, feels very OSR but yet modern enough to compete with say the new D&D. I am having fun creating just plain and wacky creatures.

Anyhow, I will be taking a look at the adventure A1 - Isle of the Rat Wizard.

First off the bat, the module is pay what you want as the price, so you want to pay nothing to check it out, go ahead.

Second, the module is only 7 pages long or 3 and 1/2 (depending how you print it).

Third the adventure looks small but it you will get a nice session out of for the night with some good role play from the players.

Fourth, this module is listed as part of an ongoing series of modules, which has been said by Dirk the creator in the G+ community will go up to and conclude at 12.

Now that we got that out of the way we can jump into the module.

The cover gives us this nice little short blurb:

"Your party is shipwrecked on mysterious Island filled with Ratlings who are led by a crazed wizard. The town of Hallo needs heroes. Welcome to the Isle of the Rat Wizard. Explore and try to survive as you discover the mysteries and secrets of the Skull Island."

Alright so we know the PCs are on a boat and they somehow get shipwrecked on the island. Maybe a great storm? Maybe they were trying to out run another ship and didn't notice the rocks at night towards the island? Maybe the ship was attacked by a giant fish monster? 

Whatever the case, you're the GM, you decide.

We get a nice simple and colorfully drawn map keyed for the locations on the island. Such as the river, the jungle and the settlement of Hallo are just some examples. We also get a nice handy random weather generator to help set the mood of the island.

There is also two random wandering monsters charts to roll upon.

The point of this adventure is that the characters are stuck and there is only one way to get off this island, another boat is needed.

Where can they get it?

From the people of Hallo, of course! They have a small encampment and are willing to provide the PCs with a boat and a gold bar, if they remove the Ratlings infestation on the island. The people of Hallo are weak and really can't handle the Ratlings, so in come the PCs, the Ratlingbusters!

This is where a bunch of great roleplaying can happen, between the folks of Hallo and the PCs. Will the PCs convince some of the Hallo-[ians] to fight along side them, or will they push the folks too far and get kicked out?

So once the PCs agree, they find out most of Ratlings live in the giant hard to miss skull mountain, plus there is a nice encampment the Ratlings set up themselves, but the PCs wont know this.

Now the PCs have to find a way to get to the mountain. Do they brave the hot creepy jungle? Grab a small fishing boat and brave the rushing river that pours out into the sea? Hmmm.

Whatever the PCs decide, they are in store for some challenges, as they will run into Ratlings or  the winged hairy that will stand in their way.

The author does a nice job suggesting how to proceed and let's you roll with what you'd like to do as the party makes its way into the mountain to discover what's hidden in the skull mountain.

What? You want me to tell you everything? Nope. Don't want to just in case players are reading.

Just kidding!

The mountain has 5 key locations and each room is described with what to do, including to when you reach the "big bad" near the end and have battle against what appears to be a magic wielding undead rat king!

All in all this is a sold nights adventure with a lot of fun. 

Best part is it is Pay what you want, so go ahead and pay nothing to take a look, but if you enjoy it... Why not head back to throw some silver the authors way.