This review of Shotglass Adventures III is possible thanks to the author, Laidback Dungeon Master, who sent us the digital file of the product and the possibility of printing it at production cost through the Print-On-Demand service of DrivethruRPG. I did not hesitate to seize the opportunity and now, holding a physical copy of it with great pleasure, I can tell you about this collection of adventures.
Shotglass Adventures III – Black Meridian Heart is available on DrivethruRPG in digital (PDF) or physical format, softcover or hardcover starting from $25 (about 20€ at the actual exchange), not to mention any discounts implemented by the author.
Summary
I told you about Shotglass Adventures III in a previous article and I invite you to reread it if you want to get a better idea of what it is. However, let’s do a summary of what we had already said.
This review is on Shotglass Adventures III – Black Meridian Heart, a collection of OGL adventures for D&D5e and other OSR games, containing 10 adventures for characters of levels 10 to 15, a sequel to the two previous volumes of Shotglass Adventures. Each adventure can either be played independently or as part of an on-going campaign.
The author’s promises include hand-drawn color maps, dozens of new monsters, new magical items, a detailed urban setting, new rules, various campaign and environment management tables, and much more. It is time to put the truthfulness of the promises made in the Kickstarter campaign to the test!
Let’s start the Shotglass Adventures III review!
Browsing through the 134 pages of Shotglass Adventures III for the first time, the first two things that stood out were the blazing red color and the maps. In fact, red was used for the headings or to highlight key elements, especially monsters, making them really stand out throughout the manual.
The maps are pure eye-candy, though, beautifully designed and very colorful. They are presented twice in the text, in reduced size first, with numbers or lines that refer to the explanatory text, and then a second time blown up to full-page size. I liked this detail because as a Dungeon Master I hate flipping back and forth when the maps are far from the descriptions of the locations. There are also some bonus maps for meetings or sites that can be added, if needed, found on the last pages.
The attention to detail and the author’s own experience as a Dungeon Master are common threads running through the entire product. At first glance, it seemed to me that I was reading the notebook of the adventures of some Dungeon Master friend rather than a published manual. The lettering, layout, index and so on are all high quality, however. Having some details underlined, maps at hand, tips, important stat block values highlighted, a glossary of abbreviations, all convey attention to detail. For example, the acronyms present throughout the manual save space, but the reader is never left to interpret the meaning of acronyms that are not always obvious on their own.
The ten adventures
I believe a brief synopsis of the adventures can give you a better understanding of the content. Here are the ten proposals in the menu (required level in brackets):
Beginning at the End (XI): a bomb explodesin an inn, beginning an investigation that brings to light disturbing discoveries.
The Frost Giant’s Proposal (XI): a marriage alliance between two clans of ice giants is likely to fail because the bride has disappeared on her way to the groom. A neutral third party must investigate this delicate situation.
Destiny’s Chyld (XII): a powerful artifact that can roll back time is the only way to avoid a cataclysm.
Island in the Stream (XII): the rescue of a group of archaeologists on an island floating up in the air reveals startling mysteries.
Eye of the Storm (XIII): an inter-dimensional labyrinth fraught with danger with no apparent way out.
Enemy Mine (XIII): an old, forgotten temple holds far greater dangers than the vicious creatures that inhabit it.
Unchained (XIV): an investigation into a manor and the resident baron who seems to have a lot to hide.
The Ruins of Tessala (XIV): ancient ruins house the followers of an unscrupulous cult.
Black Heart (XV): the dungeon from which the subtitle Black Meridian Heart is derived, a place full of pitfalls.
Fade to Black (XV): the grandiose and apocalyptic last chapter of the campaign, full of possibilities and variable endings.
Clarifications
The term adventure is very generic. It can refer to a 2-room dungeon, a single situation that can result in multiple different outcomes based on interpretation, as well as an investigation that may require several sessions to complete. So, it is necessary to clarify what kind of adventures can be found in Shotglass Adventures III.
They are not long or complex adventures, far from it. Each of them takes up only 5-7 pages, including those beautiful, dedicated maps. They are not even considerable expanded ideas, because each page is full of information. These are adventures all located or connected with a region called Black Meridian, about which a huge vortex constantly and silently moves at an altitude of over 500 meters.
They make use of the classic dungeon structure, primarily, with some possible hooks for the characters, a quick description of the characteristics of the places and non-player characters, a hint of the plot and indications of traps, monsters, and encounters. There are no text boxes to read from or long explanations that take the Dungeon Master by the hand to lay the tale out. This is the reason behind my comparing it to a DM’s notebook. There is so much content that must be digested, organized and translated into an adventure. On the other hand, they are also adventures at such a level that it is difficult to be the first ones that a novice DM sets his eye on.
As they are individually playable adventures, there aren’t any particularly strong connections between most of them. There are many possibilities for linking them, however, recurring characters or red threads that can be added to bring them together for a much more cohesive and engaging campaign.
Shotglass Adventures III additional content
There is a lot of additional content. The manual is sprinkled here and there with the author’s advice for Dungeon Masters, precise and formative. At the beginning of the manual there are a dozen pages presenting the area and the main settlement. I am mesmerized by the amount of practical and usable material, ideas, places, factions, names. Truly a compact treasure trove of information
The adventures are followed by almost 20 pages of monsters, some created from scratch, others taken from the Tome of Beasts or the Creature Codex. These are followed by a short list of magic items, mostly created specifically for the adventures. There is also a handy ruin generator. The region called Black Meridian is full of such remains and this certainly makes creating a unique places convenient, taking only a few steps.
Then there is setting information that serves to deepen the experience of the province of Verona (nothing to do with the Italian city). This is the theater region of the Shotglass Adventures trilogy that allows you to provide additional information to those who want more
The manual ends with a quick reference to the conversion for OSR, some simple ideas to facilitate the transposition from one system to another.
Art and layout
From a layout point of view, I appreciate the density of content per page. The intelligent use of color, lines, and text boxes prevents confusion. A good job has been done, precise and careful in detail. You have to get used to it at first, after which it is smooth.
Art is very pleasant. Like the maps, some of the drawings are also in color. The chosen palette is bright and playful. There is no shortage of detail, but there is no hyper-realism, either. You clearly recognize the line, you want to make it clear that it is a drawing. In a way, it transports you to a playful space.
Final thoughts of this review of Shotglass Adventures III
The most important consideration when buying an adventure is to know exactly what you are looking for. I hope I have given you a sufficiently comprehensive idea of this product for you to decide if it is right for you. Materials, graphics, and layout maintain a good standard and will not disappoint. The contents are compact. They need a Dungeon Master who knows how to expand the concepts and connect the plot points, but they are many and interesting.
Therefore, if you are looking for medium-sized dungeons to embel your campaign, or if you want an entire region to explore with a well-defined path to glory, send your characters confidently to the Heart of Black Meridian.
