Module review: Lair of the Lamb

Lair of the Lamb is an OSR style module by Arnold K. over at Goblin Punch. It's a funnel where players run a total of 12 characters through a dangerous adventure and see who survives to see daylight. Free to use and comes with Arnold's newly updated GLOG version, but can be run with other D&D variants as well. In this case, I used D&D 5e and grounded the place in my Bronze & Sand-"setting".

Arnold asks any users of the Lair to give him their impressions; here are mine!

IN BRIEF

The Lair is a freaky, cohesive place. I loved reading the module and loved running it. The players took a bit of time to adapt to the idea of OSR style equipment improv, turning the environment against their enemies, exploiting intel.

SESSION OVERVIEW

Party escaped their bonds and took on the Lamb two times, scaring it off with torches. (Won't work a third time). They lost three out of twelve PCs + replacements, freed an ally, found improvised weapons, armor, rope and light. Three of them leveled up to level 1 (fighter, cleric, rogue). They are now thinking about escape and/or fighting the Lamb to the death (see Lessons Not Learned below). They've explored 12 out of the 21 rooms and found but not exploited hidden rooms and lock combinations.

PATH TAKEN

• Main party 1, 1a, 1b, 5
• PC left behind 1, 1a, 2, 1b, 5, join up.
• Then 5a, 6, straight back to 1 for fresh PCs, return to 5, 8, 9 (they REALLY wanted that drink), 10, 14, 13, 15, 13, 16 (end of session).

SECRETS DISCOVERED

• crawlway from 10 Bone Pile to 14 Sarcophagus through searching;
• code to 7 Throne in 9 Fountain through listening carefully to description (unused b/c only a new PC cracked it, who hadn't visited 6 Tumblers yet)
• fake bottom in 14 Sarcophagus (unused)
• chatted with Danjo (who for some reason turned into the Swedish Chef) but didn't have any treasure for him;
• link to Shendormu in 16 Mold

THE LAMB

Big, scary. Could use more direction; what's it want? Some basic wants or habits would be nice, but that might push you from a random encounter model to planned paths. It worked fine as-is, but didn't scare the players into running; they paid for that. I reworked it for 5th edition as an AC13, HP72 Catoblepas-like beast with a long drooping neck, bite attack with grapple & swallow attempt on subsequent round, and a reactive tail swipe to trip flankers. Also played up the light&fire phobia, which was used to good effect.

THE GHOULS

Did not encounter, and I'll probably end this dungeon after section 1. Will save for later use. They seem a funloving bunch.

PRESSURE TO MAKE LIGHT

Not really felt due to smart improv (lighting the hay in 2 Goats with rock-strike sparks) and easily finding all the torches. Then 5e threw a curve ball: one player leveled and learned Light as a cantrip; I made them search for phosphorescent moss as a material component, but they also found that pretty fast. Party now has a torch and a half and Light.

ROPES AND WEAPONS

Rope wasn't really sought until they encountered Akina, then found promptly in a bone pellet. Weapons were sought and found more easily: 6 feet torch holder into a makeshift spear, table leg into a club, steel shortsword & armor near the drowned guy in 9 Fountain.

(Note: the haunting text specifies that the soldier died in his armor, but it's not there to be found. I added in a breastplate and greaves.)

LESSONS LEARNED

• improvising with what's about (flaming barrier from Lamb pellets, torch/club from table leg, mace from torch holder)
• exploiting an enemy's fear

LESSONS NOT LEARNED

• running away from monsters
• luring away monsters
• investigating beyond first impression
• exploiting info found (lock codes, hidden areas, possible ally outside the dungeon)

CHANGES FOR 5E

I'm running 5th edition, so used different stats for the Lamb (as Catoblepas with additional bite/swallow attack), priests (Cult Fanatic / Acolyte / Guard, not encountered yet) & weaponry and armor. Added a couple of more ways to level up, mainly the places where you could be initiated as a warlock, wizard & cleric, and added a milestone for gaining access to drinking water.

I swapped out some treasures (in 7, 8, 14a, 18a) for Coins & Scrolls relics, presenting the option to either break for immediate power or worship for long term bennies.

0TH LEVEL CHARACTERS FOR A 5E FUNNEL

• Roll stats as normal; either asign immediately, or as the rolls come up (e.g. first roll is to ask for Survival; player decides they want to be good at that and asign a high score).
• Choose race, background
• Take 6 + Con modifier hp
• Proficiency bonus is +1