Mini-Dungeons: Buta No Shiro
This pdf clocks in at 2 pages and is a mini-dungeon. This means we get 2 pages content, including a solid map (alas, sans player-friendly version) and all item/monster-stats hyperlinked to d20pfsrd.com’s shop and thus, absent from the pdf.
Since this product line’s goal is providing short diversions, side-quest dungeons etc., I will not expect mind-shattering revelations, massive plots or particularly smart or detailed depictions, instead tackling the line for what it is. Got that? Great!
This being an adventure-review, the following contains SPOILERS. Potential players may wish to jump to the conclusion.
Still here?
All right!
When the PCs enter a certain town, they will end up on the hit-list of the reason of the local crackdown on any crime – a warthog-headed rakshasa has taken it upon himself to use his mind-reading powers to aid a local magistrate. To put a stop to the evil creature’s machinations (before they end up on its hitlist…), the PCs have to infiltrate the hidden complex of the rakshasa, where advanced devils, shackled angels, a decadent harem and, of course, the dread mastermind behind the law-force’s current efficiency loom.
Conclusion:
Editing and formatting are very good, I noticed no significant glitches. Layout adheres to a beautiful 2-column full-color standard and the pdf comes sans bookmarks, but needs none at this length. Cartography is full color and surprisingly good for such an inexpensive pdf, but there is no key-less version of the map to print out and hand to your players.
Jonathan Ely’s Buta No Shiro is his first mini-dungeon I really like – not only is the premise awesome and cool, the complex’s location is left deliberately opaque and the diversity of foes herein is also neat. Beyond that, smart tactics for the villain and nice prose render this a good mini-dungeon. While I would have enjoyed more terrain-hazards, this still is a fun mini-dungeon, well worth a final verdict of 4.5 stars, rounded down to 4. If Jonathan continues to hone his craft, the next mini-dungeon could be pure awesomeness!
You can get this cool mini-dungeon here on OBS!
Endzeitgeist out.
