Requires NWN2 with Mask of the Betrayer expansion.
Lord Thom of Treetown has sent out a call for adventurers. A wandering bard traveling through my village spoke of great rewards for people who were willing to go on a dangerous journey into the unknown under his orders.
While Treetown is a coastal town, the journey to the dock is only navigable by ships with special maps, so I set sail to a village some way south of there. From there I set out on a trade road that leads to Treetown while passing through Renald's town.
Features:
* Single player adventure module with some non-linear gameplay.
* Set on the east of the Dragon Coast in the Forgotten Realms but locations are mostly created by me for this module.
* More than 4 hours long.
* 7 Companions, three of which can be in party at time.
* Custom resting system. Screen will fade to black, and if resting in a dangerous area there will be a risk of attack.
* Functional world map.
* Possible to complete main quest without combat or with a lot of, sometimes challenging, combat.
Uses custom content by:
Hellcow, Jester, Sorceress Ashura, Aleanne, MisterBritish, Barrel of Monkeys and RunnerDuck.
If any of their stuff looks bad in this module then it's more likely to be my fault than theirs.
Thanks to Adam Miller for sharing his install script and to everyone on the Bioware forums who helped with testing and feedback.
History:
#2008-05-13 Patch 1.
*Fixed a graphics corruption bug in treetown.
*Changed the way that the lair journal entry is updated.
*Fixed some item and conversation text.
*It is now possible to recover stolen items.
*Added tracking of campaign alignment shift.
*Changed Andre's dialog so that he appears as less of a forced companion.
*Changed the balance of a couple of combat encounters.
#2008-05-09 Initial release.
Posted by darant at 2011-08-07 03:55:30 Voted 5.00 on 08/07/11
Honestly, why would you have a trap for 70 damage at such low levels? Pointless and unprofessional.
Posted by Khaevil at 2011-08-05 08:23:03 Voted 8.00 on 08/05/11
Pretty good if linear story. It left me wanting to know what would happen next.
Spoiler:
The diamond lair puzzle has nothing to do with using a diamond as a key or having a diamond pattern on the lights by pressing the button when trying the door. There're lights in the middle of the nine rooms and when crossing a room some will go out and others turn on. It seemed to be based on the status of the lights and which doors were open, but, the puzzle was solved before I really worked out the details. You need to light up all nine lights. Pressing the button just gives a starting condition.
Posted by Dzwornga at 2009-07-11 19:21:55 Voted 7.00 on 07/11/09
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
Outstanding : New & interesting companions. Underground elves that weren't drow & "friendly" undead turned my expectation on its head. Interesting non-bashum non-lockpick doors! Interesting ambient penalties in some dungeons.
The good : Few randomly lootable barrels & crates around town to distract me (this is a good thing, trust me). Varied opponents. Light comedy was a good touch in my opinion. Good use of custom content.
The bad : The "Diamond lair" was too cryptic, or bugged - I played with it and randomly opened and closed doors until it somehow worked, so I solved the puzzle through blind luck, not by thinking. Very high probability of "random" encounters in a couple areas made for infinite XP - by the time I was hitting those areas some NPCs were nigh-unstoppable, so to prove a point I wrote a macro to rest and let my party auto-attack while I left the computer and went to work. Came back with 2 levels and a pile of bodies with loot I was able to sell for about 9k or so - either tone down the "random" encounters or make the area un-rest-able if you don't want people resting there. I personally would raise my score at least a full point if you cleared-up these two things alone.
BUGS : in the "diamond lair" you only get one chance to pick up the barbarian's gift. If you back out of the dialogue and try to click on the gift again nothing happens. Earth spirits would disappear / despawn at a certain point in the hallway right before the Stoneheads - not sure if that was intentional or accidental, but it was kind of anti-climactic to see the big spirit simply de-spawn as I was kiting it down the hall.
Overall : worth checking out. The "diamond lair" may be worth avoiding though, as it seems lots of folks have trouble with it.
I am having a HUGE problem getting into the locked middle room of 1st floor Wizards' Tower. I saw that the construct offers some help with the far right door, but still I can't figure out the middle one. I assume that it holds the answer that I need to continue with the Lord's quest, even though I have the journal page found on the ground floor. Please help! So far though, the game has been fairly challenging and fun.
Time to give up, I guess. Andre's been saved as a universal companion and that was my main goal while replaying. I tried to open the mod in the toolset, but it's set up strangely. The toolset didn't find anything to open in either the campaign or individual RWB folders.
Areas and henchmen are "minimalist" as someone pointed out ... but work and are interesting. The Cormyr setting's a stretch, but should only matter to rabid FR fans (which I am, but I'm not insane about it).
If it weren't for the diamond lair, I'd rank it a 7.5 to 8.5. With it ... the frustration factor, lack of hints, and dislike of recommending something that seems to require luck or random trial and error to complete ....
That puts it somewhere above "Requires Improvements" and less than "Qualified Recommendation." Call it 4.5 to 5.5.
I won't put in the low vote, since something as simple as an author's "read me" file with the puzzle solution would add 2 or more points. People that aren't bothered by not "completing" would probably view this as somewhere around an 8.
I've returned to this mod (to save Andre to Universal Companions DB). Has anyone gotten into the "diamond lair" and remembered how, yet?
Once I do most of the rest, I'll try opening it up in the toolset (but with my knowledge of scripting, I probably won't understand the answer).
Aside from this "snag" many seem to have encountered, it's an entertaining module and worth the download.
*Score and comments delayed till completion -- and that includes the aforementioned lair.
Posted by Sieben Elfriend at 2008-08-20 11:50:27 Voted 7.25 on 08/20/08
This is a hard mod to rate. Most of it was the usual Fed-Ex step and fetch it, but it picked up once that part was over. The ending, however, fell completely flat. Offered a moral choice, you in fact get no chance to choose. The ending really hints at a sequel.
Still, I enjoyed it. The areas, though minimalist, were well suited to the mod (I liked the boardwalk streets in Treetown). The companions were varied, if underdeveloped. It gained my ranger enough XPs to make arcane archer and gave her a special friend to take with her on her next adventure (Andre, using AlanC9's highly recommended Universal Companions hak) instead of her pathetic level 2 animal companion. Like others, I never figured out the diamond puzzle, but since I hate puzzles I happily skipped it.
Give this one a try, it's fun. Be aware that the installer (I hate installers) may have some problems with Vista. I got lock-ups, slow-downs and other weirdness until I uninstalled and reinstalled it.
Now, I think I hear some Howls in the Dark. _________________________ Been a long day. I could use a drink.
Posted by Rondo_GE at 2008-08-16 16:25:21 Voted 7.75 on 08/16/08
This is a very solid mod with minamal roleplaying and detail but it has a lot of the major features we see in NWN2 as far as the map environment goes.
It also ends in a very strange place so I DO hope the author intends on continue on with it. A gret traiing mod for people who want to write mods I think and not be put off with tons of dialogue and characterization.
But the mod ends with no answers really. A bit of a let down.
So I submit a cautious grade here. I didnt use the crafting option from Spencer due to low levels but maybe next time I will if the modder includes magic weapons armor and wondrous aitems as set feats to is NPCs. I waisted those feats in this mod I think.
Posted by Del at 2008-08-09 12:09:32 Voted 8.50 on 08/09/08
Enjoyed the module. Thanks.
Posted by Winwood at 2008-08-03 13:12:27 Voted 9.75 on 08/03/08
Outstanding, a Must Have.
Posted by bernvault at 2008-07-26 07:40:43 Voted 7.75 on 07/26/08
Good fun. Couldn't figure out the "diamond" cave quest. Got the hostage-taker out but nothing after the kill, a bit anti-climactic. Mind you I appreciated the alignment adjustments from it - my poor Neutral Evil druid was getting far too lawful at one point. I do like the little quests tho and how, as with the cow and the end, you can be whisked back to town. Good selection and balance of enemies. I found the Gentlemen Robbers fun - and the badger nest. Some good NPC selections. A few spelling errors (typo slips really). Sorry - I didn't list them. Enjoyed it. Thanks You.
B
Posted by ericdoman at 2008-07-23 05:05:57 Voted 9.25 on 07/23/08
Agree with Raskae below. ouldn't find or buy a diamond (I guess that is required) to enter vault. Missed out on a few other things I guess. The wizard tower and gaining entry very well done, combats were doable. The hue earth elemental was very tough but managed to kill it in end. Actually Login did most of the damage (minor spoiler, cone of cold scroll big help. Beware though when playing hardcore). Finished as a 1/5(6?) Half Orc barb/ftr. 20285xp to beat next time.
Really looking forward to other mods from mattd
Cheers
Posted by Kissamies at 2008-07-18 07:33:21 Voted 8.50 on 07/18/08
I really liked the tone of this module. The wry humor and the general sense of open exploration. Good use of skill checks too. The dialogue is a little sparse, but I actually found that quite refreshing. The brusque manner actually fit very well to my rude cleric of Talos. Still, a bit more talk here and there would have been nice. I think some random chatter between party members would have been ideal. Also, I guess the world feels a little sparse in general too. Items, for example... However, I found not having wheelbarrowfuls of all sort of perishables, quest items and weapons shoved to me quite refreshing as well.
I can understand why the ending feels abrupt to some. Didn't bother me that much. Did what I was hired to do and that's it. Some sort of small cutscene epilogue wouldn't have hurt, though. I think I'll play this again some day. Doubt that I found all there is to find.
Posted by Raskae at 2008-07-08 00:02:45 Voted 9.50 on 07/08/08
I really loved this module... I never did figure out how to enter the lair, but had a great time getting into the Wizard's tower. (would likely never have figured that one out on my own if I had not remembered the mimic from HOTU) It seems I missed a "crow cave" entirely.. oh well, I'm sure I'll enjoy re-playing this mod. It was all the little details that made it perfect. The companions with personality mis-match who abandon you. The great use of toolset to create environments. The random encounters, travel encounters, unsafe rest areas, all the little details that suffuse the mod everywhere, and still remained fun to play. This may well not be the best mod available on the vault now, but it sure must be the most underrated.
Posted by Blatob at 2008-06-17 07:54:34 Voted 6.50 on 06/17/08
Nice module, with inhteresting selection of henchmen and "random encounters". Main problem was the ridlle (I've solved it, but i don't have a clue how). Also, the end is unclear. I'm not sure if the chice I made good one.
dj_doc, was the puzzle just difficult or badly designed? I don't mind you voting me down if you don't like difficult puzzles messing with your game but if it's broken I would like to know how to fix it.
Posted by dj_doc at 2008-05-25 12:30:19 Voted 5.75 on 05/25/08
This was a nice mod, thanks for your time creating it.
Would have rated it 6 without that riddle
I also have to agree with all the other posts that argued about area design and FR feel. The first could be better and the second just doesn#t work for me.
10 - A Masterpiece, Genuinely Groundbreaking 9 - Outstanding, a Must Have 8 - Excellent, Recommended to Anyone 7 - Very Good, Deserves a Look 6 - Good, Qualified Recommendation 5 - Fair, Solid yet Unremarkable 4 - Some Merit, Requires Improvements 3 - Poor Execution, Potential Unrealized 2 - Very Little Appeal 1 - Not Recommended to Anyone
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