A review copy of “The Crypt of Somber Hill” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.
Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.
Designed by: RuneGM
The Crypt of Somber Hill is a 5th level adventure that reads like a classic dungeon crawl from older editions: evil cultists, a crypt beneath a town, kidnappings, even a villain called “The Dark One.” Yet I was impressed by the solid storytelling, good dungeon design, and refreshing focus on characters — including the villains.
The 20-page adventure is organized into three chapters, with the bulk of the adventure set within the titular crypt.
The adventure synopsis provides background on The Dark One, his rise to power, and subsequent falling out with his dark patron after the death of his family, sealing himself with the crypt.
Adventure hooks suggest tying the party into one or more of the NPCs, and an appendix at the end has interesting ties to official D&D adventures, such as the Lost Mine of Phandelver.
Despite the focus on a standard dungeon, over a dozen NPCs are detailed in the dramatis personae, including all five members of the Iron Chains merc group which has become corrupted and now serves the cult.
When the party arrives in town, they can prevent a kidnapping at the house of the local wizard who has been investigating the crypt. The other researcher has already been taken, and the party needs to delve down there to rescue her and stop whatever terrible thing they’re doing.
As you may expect, the crypt is full of undead threats, but with some nice twists, like shadows popping out of sarcophagi, or a cell full of bones animating and grappling passers-by (which then triggers other cells to spawn and release skeletons).
The corrupted merc gang is also here, each with their own name and backstory, though the standard NPC statblocks are a bit too easy for a 5th level party (archer, berserker, etc).
The party can also rescue the captured researcher, find secret passages, and possibly free the shadow demon who is really behind all the recent machinations.
A penultimate battle with the merc leader can spawn additional enemies for every humanoid killed in the crypt, triggering the final seal to be unlocked, and The Dark One to emerge (a bodak).
After the battle, the undead dude regains his senses, and pleads for his unlife, which could get quite interesting if the party is already allied with the deceptive shadow demon.
The designer helpfully includes a detailed epilogue, even including what each individual NPC and named enemy does should they survive to the end.
The attention to detail and fun opportunities for role-play and social interaction help set this adventure apart. I also appreciated the well-used black and white public domain art, and the full color battle map to help bring the adventure to life.
Pros:
- Detailed dramatis personae for over a dozen NPCs and villains
- Effective use of black and white clipart.
- Full color dungeon map.
- Optional tie-ins to several D&D adventures.
Cons:
- Missing lair actions for The Dark One boss fight.
- No player version of the map.
The Verdict: The Crypt of Somber Hill is a classic dungeon crawl with a solidly-paced dungeon, enhanced with fully-fleshed NPCs and antagonists.
A review copy of “The Crypt of Somber Hill” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.
Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.
RogueWatson 