Publisher: Goodman Games
If you are a fan of Jack Vance’s Dying Earth series, you will love this adventure module for Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. The Great Visp Hunt is the sixth installment of the DCC Dying Earth series, and it is a blast to play. In this adventure, you and your fellow adventurers are hired by a desperate village to hunt down a visp, a fearsome beast that has been ravaging their crops and livestock. But the hunt is not as simple as it seems, as you will have to face many dangers and mysteries along the way. Here are some of the highlights of this module:
The Setting
The adventure takes place in the Dying Earth, a far-future world where the sun is dimming and magic is fading. The Dying Earth is a rich and colorful setting, full of exotic cultures, ancient ruins, and weird wonders. The module does a great job of capturing the atmosphere and tone of Vance’s stories, with humorous dialogue, quirky magic, and eccentric characters. The adventure also offers plenty of opportunities for exploration and discovery, as you will visit several locations that are not on the map, such as the Tower of the Magician, the Cavern of the Worms, and the Lair of the Visp.
The Challenge
The Great Visp Hunt is not an easy adventure. The visp is a formidable foe, with a powerful bite, a venomous sting, and a cunning mind. It can also fly, burrow, and camouflage itself, making it hard to track and catch. The adventure also presents other challenges, such as traps, puzzles, riddles, and moral dilemmas. You will have to use your wits, skills, and luck to survive and succeed in this hunt. The module also offers multiple paths and outcomes, depending on your choices and actions. You can ally with or betray various NPCs, find hidden treasures or secrets, and even influence the fate of the village and the visp.
The Fun
The Great Visp Hunt is a fun and exciting adventure that will keep you on your toes. It is full of action, humor, mystery, and drama. It is also very replayable, as each playthrough can be different depending on your decisions and dice rolls. The module also includes some optional rules and suggestions for adding more flavor and variety to your game. For example, you can use the DCC Dying Earth magic system, which adds more randomness and risk to spellcasting. You can also use the DCC Dying Earth patron system, which allows you to invoke the aid or wrath of powerful entities such as Cugel the Clever or Iucounu the Laughing Magician.
What are the most interesting locations in this adventure?
There are many interesting locations in this adventure, but some of the most notable ones are:
- The Tower of the Magician: This is a mysterious and ancient structure that stands on a hill overlooking the village. It is the home of a powerful and eccentric wizard named Zalaz, who has a collection of rare and strange artifacts. The tower is full of traps, secrets, and surprises, and it may hold the key to finding the visp. The tower also has a talking door that can grant or deny access to the tower, depending on how well you answer its riddles.
- The Cavern of the Worms: This is a dark and damp cave that is infested with giant worms. The worms are vicious and hungry, and they will attack anything that moves. The cave also contains a hidden entrance to the underworld, where the visp sometimes goes to hunt. The underworld is a vast and dangerous realm, full of unknown horrors and wonders.
- The Lair of the Visp: This is the final destination of the hunt, where the visp makes its nest. The lair is located in a remote and rugged area, surrounded by cliffs and forests. The lair is guarded by the visp’s offspring, which are smaller but still deadly versions of their parent. The lair also contains the visp’s treasure, which is a hoard of shiny and valuable objects that the visp has collected over the years.
What are the most interesting encounters in this adventure?
There are many interesting encounters in this adventure, but some of the most notable ones are:
- The visp itself: The visp is the main antagonist of the adventure, and it is a formidable and cunning opponent. The visp is a large, winged, reptilian creature that can breathe fire and venom. It is also very intelligent and can speak several languages, including the common tongue. The visp is not evil, but rather a proud and territorial beast that sees humans as intruders and prey. The visp will try to evade, trick, or ambush the hunters, and it will not hesitate to fight back if cornered. The visp also has a personality and a sense of humor, and it may taunt or mock the hunters during the chase. The visp is a challenging and memorable enemy that will test the hunters’ skills and courage.
- The magician’s apprentice: The magician’s apprentice is a young and naive boy named Lemuel, who lives in the Tower of the Magician with his master Zalaz. Lemuel is fascinated by magic and wants to learn more, but he is also afraid of Zalaz’s wrath and secrets. Lemuel may encounter the hunters when they visit the tower, and he may help or hinder them, depending on how they treat him. Lemuel may also reveal some information about Zalaz and the visp, or he may lead the hunters into trouble or danger. Lemuel is a sympathetic and curious character that may become a friend or a foe to the hunters.
- The worm queen: The worm queen is a monstrous worm that rules over the Cavern of the Worms. She is huge, hungry, and hostile, and she will attack anything that enters her domain. The worm queen can also control the other worms in the cave, and she can summon them to her aid. The worm queen is a terrifying and deadly encounter that will require the hunters to use their wits and weapons to escape or defeat her. The worm queen also guards a secret passage to the underworld, which may be the only way to reach the visp’s lair.
Based on The Dying Earth Book Series by Jack Vance.
Dungeon Crawl Classics Dying Earth #6: The Great Visp Hunt on DrivethruRpg
