Perils of the Sunken City is something special.
It's a setting that can be used repeatedly, a justification for a group of characters to find adventure of all kinds, and it's a full-fledged funnel to boot. Best of all, it was already ready-for-use when DCC's core rules were first published.
That last fact, coupled with engaging writing and high production quality, sets it among the all-time best sellers on RPGNow. It also results in a tone that doesn't quite sync up with what we've come to expect from Dungeon Crawl Classics adventures. Understandable for its time, the feel of Mustertown has more in common with Pathfinder or 3.X D&D than with the Goodman Games line of Appendix N inspired offerings. It does nothing to diminish what Perils can do for you at the table.
The adventure sets a wonderful stage with memorable characters that are given just enough depth to let you make them your own. This type of design let's a Judge be a Judge and shouldn't be as rare as it seems to be these days. The setting of the Great City and Mustertown, set at the foot of the Sunken City, promise endless opportunity for adventure. Indeed, whole campaigns can easily take place with repeated excursions in the endless muck and mire. This alone is worth the price of purchase.
The included funnel, Madazkan's Court, is almost an added bonus. While linear at times, it is filled with a number of memorable encounters which will reward clever play. The module flows well and the progression is straight forward. With the exception of a discrepancy between a map and some written text, everything is easy to follow. The final room is terrifying in just the way a DCC adventure should be.
|