Four Against Darkness - Dark Waters - Part 1

   Having enjoyed the original 4AD game from Ganesha Games and bought, but not played, the first supplement I decided to buy the second a scenario pack called Dark Waters.

     The production values of Dark Waters are of the same high standard as the main rules and the Caves of the Kobold Slave-Masters.  The pdf has a colour cover and black and white drawings throughout.

    As far as the contents go there's a new character class for 4AD. The Swashbuckler is a fighter type character who gets to attack twice per round but can't wear armour.  The class gains half its level rounded down to attack and defence rolls.  Its special ability is it can accumulate a limited number of panache points which can be spent to provide a bonus to attack or defence rolls.

   The bulk of the contents are a two part scenario for 4AD.  I think the best way to review that is to give, a largely spoiler free, description of a game.

   To play the game I generated a new party:-

Ragnar a Warrior
Odo a Cleric
Tostig a Rogue
Morcar a Wizard

   The first scenario starts with you sent to hunt a Corsair Captain.  You get to choose who sends you, either the local Coast Guard or the local underground.  I chose the Coastguard and they delivered me to the Corsairs lair.  This part of the book was a predetermined dungeon with a map with numbered locations.  As the party entered a location you read the relevant numbered paragraph and follow the instructions.

   My party fought their way through the dungeon, fighting four Bosses, several groups of Minions and some traps along the way.  They nearly suffered casualties early on and the Cleric had to cast a couple of Healing spells but after that things went better until the Wizard lost a leg and close to the way out, his life.  By now the party had two magical swords, four gems, a couple of other magic items and some gold. The three survivors were all level two, Ragnar having failled to gain level three.

  The party's finances meant they could only bury poor Morcar and recruit a replacement in the form of Erik the Blue.  They received their reward from the Coast Guard and Odo levelled up again to level three.  The party then upgraded their equipment buying heavy armour for Ragnar and Odo, another Healing Potion and a pair of Holy Water Vials.

   The party were ready for the second part of the scenario.  This is a random dungeon generated using the rules in the main rules but with all new tables so the resultant dungeon's contents are completely new.