A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Digging Up Trouble

Digging Up Trouble by Travis Legge is a role playing game supplement published by Onyx Path Publishing through the Canis Minor Community Content Program for use with Pugmire. 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 characters of level 1 to 3.

This is a fifteen page PDF that is available from DriveThruRPG for $1 but was purchased at the reduced price of $0.40 as part of a special bundle. Two pages are the front and rear covers and two pages are the Open Game License and Credits. The PDF comes in two versions, a full colour one and a greyscale printer friendly version that lacks page backgrounds.

The opening paragraphs give an overview of the supplement before going on to Characters. These gives details and stats for the crew of the pirate ship, the Miss Fortune, followed by those for Cooper Mutt, a former member of the crew who took a treasure map.

The Synopsis gives an overview of how the adventure will run. The characters will run into Cooper Mutt as he is being attacked by brigands. On their assistance, Cooper will invite them to help him find a treasure. The characters may notice that they are being followed by pirates from the Miss Fortune. After finding the location of the treasure and digging it up, the characters could end up being attacked by the guardian of the treasure and the pirates.

The Introduction has the characters hired to take a package from Pugmire to Waterdog Port. There is a d6 table of what the package could contain, if the characters are nosey.

Next are the Scenes. Scene 1 sees the characters encountering Cooper on the way as he is beset by brigands. Scene 2 is if the characters decide not to go along with Cooper and continue with their errand; in this case they will encounter pirates looking for Cooper. There is also a sidebar; if the characters cannot be induced to follow the hooks, well something different will need doing.

Scene 3 has the characters and Cooper following the treasure map and Scene 4 has them digging for the treasure. Scene 5 has an undead spirit within the uncovered chest attack them and Scene 6 has the pirates attack; this last scene can take place at a number of points coincidental with the previous two scenes. After the battle, the characters may have made friends or enemies of both the pirates and Cooper, and may have gained some treasure. Should the Guide wish it, either of these groups could be recurring.

The final page of content, Treasure, has the contents of the chest; a new masterwork, an existing one, coins and a map to a pirate’s cove.

Digging Up Trouble in Review

The PDF lacks bookmarks and, although pretty short, these would have been useful. Navigation could be better. The text maintains a two column full colour format (in the primary PDF) and has a number of stock Canis Minor illustrations. Presentation is good.

The adventure is laid out well. There is introductory text explaining how the supplement is laid out, a synopsis of how the adventure should run and two different hooks to get the characters involved, should they not bite for the first one. There are also some suggestions for further adventures. Digging Up Trouble is a nice little adventure for Pugmire that is decently put together and it can be found by clicking here.