FASA Corp.
80pp £ 6.99

The clue's in the title really isn't it? We should be getting adventures set in the massive underground kingdom of Throal, the heart of Barsaivian commerce and culture. Trouble is that the adventures herein take you bloody miles from the place. Don't expect cosmopolitan city based adventures here, oh no, we're going underground.

The first adventure is called 'Purloined Provisions'and it begins in Throal itself with the party hired to investigate a series of thefts from the grand bazaar. In no time at all the party are plunging into caverns and tunnels in search of the perpetrators. It's not giving too much away to say that a colony of T'srang Pales Ones are involved (the cover shows all) and that there will be a big fight at the end. Not particularly inspired or inspiring, but the plot is simple enough and I'd recommend it for players who are just starting out on an adventuring career, although you'll have to downsize the lethality considerably as it's pitched for 6 to 8 characters of fifth circle.

Next up, 'Deep Trouble' and while the direction of the adventure goes down the quality of the scenario rises considerably. While the basic plot is hackneyed, a monster hunt in the subterranean depths, there are some delicious complications in the form of other interested parties and some judicious politicking upstairs. Played properly this scenario should provide the team with a false ending or two as they realise that they are not quite out of trouble yet .

The only downside is that it's quite high powered at seventh circle, I wonder if characters of this calibre will still be taking up odd jobs for the bureaucracy as it's assumed they will be? The final selection in this trio is an absolute belter. Called 'The Way Out' it takes the party, surprise surprise, deep under the kingdom in search of the link to the Serpent River and thus the outside world. The exploration follows in the steps of Captain Westhrall during the Theran War so the party should immediately feel that they are taking part in a historical event.

The journey is tense with a good mix of mundane hazards and navigational problems. This gives the GM a chance to play the interesting NPCs that are provided throughout with lots of opportunities for role-playing as the adventure becomes more and more open ended. The scenario can end in a number of ways, and it relies to an extent on creative playing and GMing, but the adventure is all the more rewarding for that. One gripe however, this scenario uses Pale Ones again, I thought they were supposed to be rare creatures only rumoured to exist? If you play all of these adventures you'll know more Pale Ones than you do dwarfs!

Overall: Gets better throughout, culminating ain a potentially fabulous adventure. Tenous thread to Throal Sourcebook, but not a problem. Each scenario needs some preparatory work, but worth the effort.

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