Hiki Sorceress Quest – Review by CosmicWatcher

by: CosmicWatcher !118LTnv3DE
Originally posted: 04.08.2016
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HIKI SORCERESS QUEST

THREAD 1 REVIEW

WRITTEN AS IT IS READ

ON TO ADVENTURE

We are a shut in sorceress whose dad has gone missing. With our supply of food running low we set out to find our dad in the world outside the tower...which happens to be a Wonderland like maze.

From the way the opening was written I was expecting something light hearted, and overall it is, but when we start with packing our favorite night mask and take an arrow to the hip its jarring.

Decide if you want this to be something like Labyrinth with a little darkness and danger but ultimately a light tone or something more serious. Otherwise you risk making the tone really schizo.

Also, ever seen Blue Ruin?

That's how arrow wounds work.

MAZES AND TRAPS

The world we're in is very Zork meets Knightmare. And it's too young to say how good it is but I already see paths for improvement.

A quest like this needs maps. If you can't draw it then go the infocom route and write what is in each Cardinal direction when we enter a room. Also start looking for good traps. TG is a good place to ask for ideas.

WHAT TO READ

Read and steal liberally from the Oz books. They will show you how to gradually introduce quirky and fun party members like the talking magi tech weapon we already have and it'll show you how to create creative and whimsical encounters.

Marvelous Land of Oz and Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz are beat books by the way.

Read old TSR modules for trap ideas. Take from Tomb of Horrors and White Plume Mountain.

VERDICT

I don't feel comfortable weighing in on a quest when it's one thread old but I'll risk a veryyyyy tentative LIGHT RECCOMENDATION. The interactions between the taking magic tech dagger and the Hiki is charming and we have a clear goal. There also hasn't been a good old fashioned dumgeon crawl.

My advice is to keep this simple. We're looking for food and dad. Don't let this be swallowed up by an overly convoluted plot.

END OF REVIEW