Once again, we bring you a review of an adventure from Menagerie Press, whom we thank for sending us a digital copy of Clash at Kell Crenn. An English adventure for D&D5e, designed for 3-7 characters between 6th and 8th level. Among the authors we find once again William Murakami-Brundage, together with Karrin Jackson and Pôl Jackson. Like the other Menagerie Press adventures we reviewed (Adul, City of Gold, The Dream Prison and The Black Lotus of Thalarion), Clash at Kell Crenn can be purchased digitally at DrivetrhuRPG for $8.99 (about 7€), or in a physical, softcover and color printed version, for $13.99 (about 11€).
At First Glance
With its 35 pages, Clash at Kell Crenn is certainly complete with everything you need to run a satistyng adventure. The graphics are simple and clean, maybe too simple. They make us regret the absence of illustrations to enrich the adventure. The art is good, but is just a marginal contribution, excepting the cover and a single full-page illustration. An image of the most important NPCs would have helped for immersion in the story, but its absence does not compromise the experience at all.
It is perfectly functional, and respects the style of D&D5e publications. The maps are exaustive and the tables complete, with text boxes and notes keeping things tidy. Clash at Kell Crenn isn’t flashy, but does its job well.
The Spoiler-Free Clash at Kell Crenn Review
“A river journey takes the adventurers to the besieged river-fort of Kell Crenn, where a gnoll horde assails the walls. What are the wasteland raiders seeking in the frontier trade post?”
This is the official synopsis of the adventure and there will be no other clues, to keep this review spoiler-free.
This is easily adaptable to any setting, but you can also insert it in a small world that Menagerie Press outlines more and more in each of its publications. You are encouraged to play them with a certain continuity.
The adventure hooks are pretty standard. There is, however, some commitment to provide alternatives for groups that look for an approach different from the more typical ‘heroes willing to do their part’. In this case, the authors surmise that some additional work may be required by the DM. The events follow a fairly linear path; the most interesting element is the flexible ability to diversify threats, and Clash at Kell Crenn is quite rich in ideas about this. Some challenges can also be faced with an alternatives from open combat. Although it remains a rather “muscular” adventure, there is no shortage of opportunities to show off intellect and diplomacy.
An Ambitious Adventure
In my opinion the strongest point in Clash at Kell Crenn is its epic breadth. Designed for average 7th level characters, the adventure manages to present well-balanced challenges. At the same time, however, it also manages to make you savor the feeling of something greater than the characters: with the necessary precautions, it allows you to introduce them in plots with a very wide range, excellent for future development.
Following the unfolding of events through demanding challenges was very satisfying. It was clear that what I did made “a difference”, that it really changed the story. Even better, there were some plot twists that kept the plot from being just a banal succession of scheduled encounters and battles. The right amount of combat, diplomacy, and intrigue perfectly pave the way for the epilogue of the story, definitely unexpected by the characters.
Final Thoughts
Clash at Kell Crenn is a D&D5e adventure with a very traditional setting. A linear path of threats that lead to new elements, allowing the group to advance in the plot. The variety of approaches to some challenges should be very appealing for players, while the modular structure of the encounters allows the Dungeon Master greater freedom in compensating for the vagaries of luck by increasing and decreasing the events.
The story is a constantly building crescendo of adversity, with a genuine epic ending. This is an adventure for players who want to feel what it is like to really be able to make a difference in their game setting – or an adventure for DMs who want to highlight the consequences of characters’ choices.