I’m all out of solos, so here’s one of the last of the X-series modules, X12: Skarda’s Mirror (1987). This is by Aaron Allston, who did N4: Treasure Hunt, a module I adore. This is a pretty solid follow up, though it skirts most of the expectations set by the previous X-modules — it neither involves the exploration of wilderness, nor does it hew to the epic scale of the past few installments. Its a much smaller scenario, thick with plot and investigation. And there’s a pocket dimension! I love pocket dimensions.
The first part is a bit of a red herring, searching a tower full of beasties for a mirror that’s supposed to be there but isn’t. The second part is mainly inside the pocket dimension of the mirror — getting the party there requires their defeat and capture, but thankfully the module doesn’t force it. Skarda’s minions are tough enough to make capture likely, but there are work-arounds for if some or all party-members escape (two pages in the back describes all the ways Allston saw the adventure potentially going wrong and runs through ways to keep it relatively on-track. More adventures should do this. After that, the players need to escape the prison, and the mirror the prison is within, and foil Skarda’s attempted military coup of Karameikos. All in a day’s work!
Cover by Tim Hildebrandt. It’s very good and pretty funny and sells one of the module’s key things very well. Interiors by Al Williamson and Jeff Easley. Really love Williamson’s delicate line work and his cartoony style.
