A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Alternate Dungeons: Infested Sewer

Alternate Dungeons: Infested Sewer by Alexander Augunas is a role playing game supplement published by Raging Swan Press for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License with some parts being considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This supplement aims to make sewers – a type of ‘dungeon’ often visited by lower level characters – more interesting.

This is a twelve page PDF that is available from RPGNow at the regular price of $2.45 but was purchased at the reduced price of $0.21 as part of a special bundle. Two pages are the publisher’s standard plain front and rear covers and there is a third similar page, one page is the front matter and Contents and one page the Open Game License. The PDF comes in two versions, one optimised for screen and low end devices and the other for print and desktop.

Infested Sewers: An Alternate Dungeon starts by considering sewers, how to define this type of dungeon and how to design it, with various dangers and hazards. Next in this section is running this type of dungeon, including how the type affects encounters, hiding and movement, and the valuable items that could be obtained by sacking it. This section can be found in the free supplement GM’s Monthly Miscellany: October 2014.

Infested Sewers: Dressing considers the primary function of the dungeon – moving waste – and secondary, less intended functions such as breeding and hunting grounds for monsters, places to carry out illicit deeds and as a place of sanctuary by those rejected or disposed of by the world above. The value of dressings is considered followed by a d100 table of different dressings with forty different results.

Infested Sewers: Denizens has several different monster types (including criminals) that could be found in a sewer, all of which are pretty much expected and are stat free.

Infested Sewers: Traps & Hazards has four mundane hazards and one magical, all standard and what would be expected. There are three new hazards, including a logical one from tainted water and two new moulds, and a new trap – quite an interesting one, that immures people in the walls like a cask of Amontillado.

Finally, there are three adventure hooks, all related to pretty standard monsters for a sewer but nicely done.

Alternate Dungeons: Infested Sewer in Review

The PDF is well bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. The Contents are less thorough, only covering the major sections, but are also hyperlinked. Navigation is very good for a short supplement. The text maintains a two column format and a few minor errors were noticed. There are a couple of black and white illustrations, both relating to rats.

There are some useful details on running a sewer, as well as the dressing table, although more dressings – as well as more hazards – would have been nice. For one thing, a fairly logical danger in a sewer would be floodwater, and that isn’t covered at all. The new hazards and trap are decent, but much of that section is taken up with existing, logical dangers. The trap in particular could, with a bit of modification, be made into an interesting haunt. The supplement has a nice collection of material, but it could perhaps have been longer as there are plenty of other dressings and hazards that could have been added. Alternate Dungeons: Infested Sewer can be downloaded by clicking here.