Shrine of the Oozing Serpent (OSE Solo)
I played this adventure solo with a set of four characters, so take the review with a grain of salt if you intend to run it for a group, as the issues that popped up might have differed if players had pushed a bit more against the framework of the adventure. The adventure is by Nate Treme and part of the OSE Adventure Anthology 2 and intended for a group of 1st-3rd level characters. As solo playing tends to go a lot faster than group play, it took me about an hour and a half to complete the adventure. That is to say, to TPK at the final boss.
The premise of the temple of a gnomish sect being taken over by a grease dragon is refreshing and remixes traditional tropes with new ideas. It would still prove interesting to seasoned players. As you discover the beliefs of the sect and the subsequent inhabitant’s worshippers, multiple moments of wonder and surprise emerge naturally. This is one of the key things I look for in an adventure. There is an interesting mix of roleplay, riddles and combat, with - depending on your group’s choices - roleplay taking the largest share of the action. Very nice for such a small dungeon adventure. My only criticisms are that the catacombs section felt a little lackluster and that the final encounter with the grease dragon is a significant escalation in difficulty from the rest of the adventure. But then, a dragon of any kind should be a challenge and there is a baked in opportunity to circumvent combat if players found the secret door in the catacombs. Overall a great adventure for a low level party. 8/10