B01: Under His Skin by Michael McCarthy is a role playing game supplement published by AAW Games for use with Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is an adventure for four characters of level 2 and is also available in a version for Fantasy Grounds.
The supplement is available from DriveThruRPG as a PDF for $6.99, as a standard colour print on demand book for $8.60, as a premium softcover print on demand book for $11.60, as standard softcover and PDF for $9.60 and as premium softcover and PDF for $12.60. The PDF is the version reviewed although it was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one the Contents and front matter and one the Open Game License.
Adventure Background explains that a brilliant mage who disliked others and was reclusive. He decided to become a worm that walks, and had captured a fairly weak specimen of that kind to examine. The worm used to be a druid who made a literal deal with a devil in order to become one. Said devil then freed the worm, who killed the mage. Adventure Hooks has several ways to get the characters involved and Adventure Synopsis explains how it will happen.
The adventure sees the characters travel through some artificial jungle in a desert to the wizard’s tower, which they will then explore. The worm that walks has, by now, triggered the traps in the tower, making it far safer to explore and is, as mentioned, a weak version of its kind. Otherwise, this adventure would be noticeably more dangerous for a low-level party. The party needs to kill the worm and lay the wizard’s soul to rest.
There are colour maps of the tower and the jungle, which come in labelled and unlabelled versions, as well as a handout.
B01: Under His Skin in Review
The PDF is bookmarked with major sections linked and the Contents is to a similar level of depth. Navigation is decent. The text maintains a two-column full colour format and appeared to be free of errors. As well as the colour maps there are a number of stock colour illustrations. Presentation is very good.
This is a decent little adventure, but it’s a shame that it has essentially been weakened in order to make it suitable for low level characters, rather than having it as deadly as it could be and aimed at ones of a higher level. Admittedly, this does mean that characters get to encounter something more dangerous earlier on in their careers. B01: Under His Skin can be found by clicking here.
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