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Intermediate #I4
Oasis of the White Palm
Tired and sore, you struggle over the burning sands towards the long-forgotten city. Will you reach the place in time to save yourselves from the evil Efreeti? The sun beats down, making your wounds stiff and worsening the constant thirst that plagues anyone who travels these waterless wastes. But there is hope - are those the ruins over there?
In the midst of broken columns and bits of rubble stands a huge statue. This is the place! You've found it at last. Gratefully you sink onto the sand. But there's no time to lose. You must hurry. So with a quavering voice you say the magic words. And then you wait....
A hush falls over the ruins, making the back of your neck prickle. Then, out of the east, a wind rises, gentle at first but quickly growing stronger and wilder, until it tears at your clothes and nearly lifts you off your feet. The once clear sky iis choked with white and grey clouds that clash and boil. As the clouds blacken, day turns to night. Lightning flashes followed by a menacing growl of thunder. You are beginning to wonder if you should seek shelter, when all of a sudden there is a blinding crash and a bolt of lightning reduces the statue to dust.
For a moment, silence. Then, out of the statue's remains, soars a blue flame. Its roar deafens you as higher and higher it climbs, until it seems about to reach the clouds. Just when you think it can grow no larger, its shape begins to change. The edges billow and soften, the roar lessens, and before your eyes materializes a gigantic blue man.
In the midst of broken columns and bits of rubble stands a huge statue. This is the place! You've found it at last. Gratefully you sink onto the sand. But there's no time to lose. You must hurry. So with a quavering voice you say the magic words. And then you wait....
A hush falls over the ruins, making the back of your neck prickle. Then, out of the east, a wind rises, gentle at first but quickly growing stronger and wilder, until it tears at your clothes and nearly lifts you off your feet. The once clear sky iis choked with white and grey clouds that clash and boil. As the clouds blacken, day turns to night. Lightning flashes followed by a menacing growl of thunder. You are beginning to wonder if you should seek shelter, when all of a sudden there is a blinding crash and a bolt of lightning reduces the statue to dust.
For a moment, silence. Then, out of the statue's remains, soars a blue flame. Its roar deafens you as higher and higher it climbs, until it seems about to reach the clouds. Just when you think it can grow no larger, its shape begins to change. The edges billow and soften, the roar lessens, and before your eyes materializes a gigantic blue man.
32 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 1983
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April 12, 2025
After the excellence that was Pharaoh I had perhaps unrealistic expectations for the second in the series. It gets full marks for tone, with definite investment in the desert/ Arabic/ Egyptian atmosphere. Yet, as Pharaoh was famous for, the story rails are strongly in place. In essence the characters, flush with success from the pyramid, once more wander the desert. They are nudged towards meeting a sheik at the titular Oasis where he enlists them to locate a kidnapped princess, his daughter-in-law, who turns out to have a magic mark on her palm. As they investigate they gain more lore, discover about two more magic gems to go with the one they got in the pyramid, and learn about a mighty efreeti Pasha prophesied to appear (at the finale).
So far so good. Indeed the first third is pretty good, with well designed NPCs, rumour tables, and investigation revealing several factions and ultimately part 2, a hidden temple under the Oasis.
Part 2 is standard dungeon stuff, with a mix of threats and traps. A novel idea has the two factions in two separate halves unbeknownst to the other with a secret passage. Laying around in the dungeon are some random Drow, one of the gems, and a prisoner who directs the PCs to part 3. now hopefully they (a) decide to do the Temple below before following rumours into the desert and going to the Tomb, and (b) find the gem, and the half it's in.
Part 3 involves a trip out to a ruined crypt to track down the princess and fight the efreeti. It's a clever dungeon, with some similar vibes to the pyramid, and three cool eternally falling shafts linking levels as well as the Raiders of the Lost Ark climb down to the first chamber.
The final set piece is a pre-written Djinni summoning at the ruined city of Phoenix. It links into the next module, which involves the archmage Martek who is mentioned in set-up throughout this module.
So what left me disappointed? The story is a good one, and bear in mind this is one of the earliest story-driven modules. But piecing the story together and what the PCs need to achieve is actually tricky here. A better summary, with area references, would have helped. Relying on key discoveries, in locations where there's only one way to it, especially if secret doors can confound is a risky design. It can lead to frustrated players, or railroading/fudging by DMs (much like the hidden shrine in WG4).
Also, and this might be a personal irk, the style of play, trap, monster #1, #2, treasure, lore, as mini-headings really annoyed me. There was just no point. Why not just use the usual few paragraphs of description?
With some formatting and tweaks (or some work by the DM) it could have been so much better.
So, three stars from me. Interested in the third installment to see how it wraps up.
So far so good. Indeed the first third is pretty good, with well designed NPCs, rumour tables, and investigation revealing several factions and ultimately part 2, a hidden temple under the Oasis.
Part 2 is standard dungeon stuff, with a mix of threats and traps. A novel idea has the two factions in two separate halves unbeknownst to the other with a secret passage. Laying around in the dungeon are some random Drow, one of the gems, and a prisoner who directs the PCs to part 3. now hopefully they (a) decide to do the Temple below before following rumours into the desert and going to the Tomb, and (b) find the gem, and the half it's in.
Part 3 involves a trip out to a ruined crypt to track down the princess and fight the efreeti. It's a clever dungeon, with some similar vibes to the pyramid, and three cool eternally falling shafts linking levels as well as the Raiders of the Lost Ark climb down to the first chamber.
The final set piece is a pre-written Djinni summoning at the ruined city of Phoenix. It links into the next module, which involves the archmage Martek who is mentioned in set-up throughout this module.
So what left me disappointed? The story is a good one, and bear in mind this is one of the earliest story-driven modules. But piecing the story together and what the PCs need to achieve is actually tricky here. A better summary, with area references, would have helped. Relying on key discoveries, in locations where there's only one way to it, especially if secret doors can confound is a risky design. It can lead to frustrated players, or railroading/fudging by DMs (much like the hidden shrine in WG4).
Also, and this might be a personal irk, the style of play, trap, monster #1, #2, treasure, lore, as mini-headings really annoyed me. There was just no point. Why not just use the usual few paragraphs of description?
With some formatting and tweaks (or some work by the DM) it could have been so much better.
So, three stars from me. Interested in the third installment to see how it wraps up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 of 1 review