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Designed by: David McDonough

Anthologies tend to feature 10+ adventures with a common theme. With three mini-adventures for levels 1-3, Twilight at Eventide has a smaller scope, but no less valuable, as players help the townsfolk of Eventide with some nasty threats from the Feywild.

Twilight at Eventide includes three chapters, one for each adventure, and an introduction that details a few notable areas of the small rural town, like the inn, tavern, and forge. Nothing too extraordinary here, other than the foreboding forest that may or may not be a passage to the Feywild.

The first adventure is designed for level 1. The innkeeper’s brother-in-law has gone missing after an attack on the road by some goblins. But we’re not actually dealing with goblins, but xvarts, gremlin-like fey creatures who have kidnapped the man as they ready their sacrifice in a nearby cave.

The dungeon crawl is fairly straightforward, which I certainly don’t mind for level 1. A friendly xvart at the entrance is the deposed former leader, and temporarily allies with the PCs if they take down the current leader, only to betray the party in the end. A fun little twist if the PCs engage with it.

The anthology makes excellent use of underused low-level fey creatures like xvarts, darklings, and boggles, which were officially added to 5E with Volo’s Guide to Monsters (statblocks are included in this product). It’s nice seeing monsters outside of the Monster Manual, even at these lower levels.

Chapter two’s quest features another missing person, for level 2 parties. This time the blacksmith’s daughter has been kidnapped. The PCs will need to learn more about the blacksmith’s history, and his own escape from the Feywild, to discover that a darkling elder has come to collect on the man’s bargain.

The party needs to navigate the forest maze filled with scripted encounters of fey creatures like blink dogs, meenlocks, and quicklings – not all of which are combat encounters, before they reach the darkling’s lair.

The crumbling tower is a neat two-in-one dungeon, as the party discovers the sinister fey plan: trapping victims’ souls in magic paintings. They’ll run afoul of rugs of smothering, black smoke raven swarms, and the darkling boss himself – with a fun chance to defeat him by turning his own magic against him.

The third level adventure involves – wait for it – another missing person! Several of them, actually. Multiple folks have gone missing in the forest. This adventure is a bit longer, as befitting the party’s higher level. It starts by investigating the loved ones of the missing people to gather clues and information. The party can pinpoint a dryad as the culprit, possibly learning more about her motivations and backstory, which has important ramifications later on.

The case leads into the forest, with a redcap in an abandoned farm, a meeting with the dryad, and culminating with the hag’s lair at Red Crag Rock. Depending on how the party has treated the dryad (and what they learned) they have a chance to talk her down, or even turn her into an ally against the hag. Sorry about the missing people, though – they’re all hag stew.

The anthology features an attractive, professional design modeled after official 5e books. Maps are provided for each module, and while I like every dungeon’s design and layout, I abhor the Dyson Logos art style. Boo!

Aside from the map art (and the over-reliance on missing people as a quest incentive), Twilight at Eventide provides an enjoyable series of low-level mini-adventures that make great use of fey themes and creatures.

Pros:

  • Three adventures that can be run separately or chained together from levels 1 to 3.
  • Each adventure includes the perfect length and level of complexity for its intended level.
  • Utilizes seldom seen fey creatures from Volo’s Guide to Monsters (statblocks included).
  • Professional layout and design.

Cons:

  • All three adventures involve missing persons!
  • Dyson Logos map art.

The Verdict: The well-designed anthology of low-level adventures in Twilight at Eventide would make the perfect introduction to a fey-themed campaign.

This review has been sponsored by the publisher Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.

Support my work by using affiliate links for shopping and pledging via Patreon.