Before delving into the actual review of Temple of Misfortune, the adventure written by William Murakami-Brundage for D&D5e, we would like to thank the publisher Menagerie Press for sending us a digital copy.

Should you wish to purchase the module after reading this review, you can find it on the DriveThruRPG store for $9 (about €9) for the digital copy and $14 (about €14) for the physical copy.

The adventure counts about 24 pages. It uses the System Reference Document as ruleset although the plot can be played with other game systems (with a adaptation not provided).

A Very Linear Plot

I will try, as always, not to tell you too much about the plot of the adventure so as not to spoil your gaming experience, limiting myself to the basic elements.

Lord Oster Hilltop hires adventurers to retrieve his betrothed Penelope Merrythan who has eloped with her lover Govric Greyhair. Penelope’s father has promised her hand to Lord Hilltop in exchange for merchant favours and political power. In short, a classic story of arranged marriages and runaway lovers. In addition, Govric is also the leader of a gang of scoundrels and there is a bounty on his head. All very simple in short, except that the bandits have taken refuge in a haunted temple and have awakened the restless dead.

Beyond the main narrative hook, however, further links can be used to integrate the adventure into a broader campaign instead of playing it as a simple one-shot. Locations, historical notes and many other aspects of the plot can be adapted to other narrative contexts.

The Structure of the Plot

This adventure is divided into four parts, each well-presented and easy to locate in the volume.

The incipit and the first part of the adventure are about the hiring of the characters, condensed on a single page.

The part dedicated to the temple, consisting of 36 rooms explained in about 7 pages, is a real dungeon crawling. It does not dwell excessively on descriptions while providing (albeit somewhat sparsely) all the necessary elements for exploration.

The last part focuses on Govric’s hideout. Here again, perhaps some environmental description could have been added to make the DM’s work more interesting and complete, as they perhaps have to put a little too much of their own into making some parts captivating.

In any case, the maps (two in total) are very well done and accurate. They provide excellent support for the players and can easily be extracted from the text to be printed and used at the table.

Aesthetics Review of Temple of Misfortune

In general, Temple of Misfortune conforms to the known aesthetics of D&D5e.

The page layout is divided in two columns and the illustrations, partly in colour and partly in black and white, are seamlessly integrated into the text. Even the tables maintain a clean and easily identifiable line within the pages. The cover by Andrea Alemanno perfectly conveys the context in which the players will immerse themselves and is a plus point for the project.

Conclusions of the Temple of Misfortune Review

In conclusion, Temple of Misfortune is an easy adventure to set up. It is perhaps at times a little lacking in the atmospheres that could have helped DMs (especially novices) to set it up and make it memorable.

Considering the price, it is a purchase worth considering if, in any case, you want to include a side-quest for your players with characters at the first levels.

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