A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement The Sunken Pyramid (Full Version)

The Sunken Pyramid (Full Version) by Creighton Broadhurst and Marc Radle 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 and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is an adventure for 7th level characters, and there is a free version that contains about a quarter of the adventure.

The supplement is available as an 87-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $9.99, as a softcover print on demand book for $13.49 and as both PDF and softcover for $18.49. It is also available in printed form from sites such as Amazon. The PDF is the version reviewed although it was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. The PDF comes in two versions, one optimised for mobile and low-end devices and the other for print and high-end devices. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one page and three quarters pages are ads, two pages are the front matter and Open Game License, one page is the Contents and one the Stat Blocks by CR and Foreword.

Reading Stat Blocks is a standard page that explains how these are laid out.

Using this Adventure is another standard page which explains how encounters are laid out – each follows a similar format – how to read trap blocks and identifying treasure.

Adventure Background explains that the Sunken Pyramid is an underwater structure built beneath the waves a few miles from a coastal village. A sahuagin tribe has moved into it and is causing problems.

Running the Sunken Pyramid explains that much of this adventure is underwater, and characters will need some way of surviving there. There are also details of how to use it in your own campaign.

The Adventure Begins has some adventure hooks for the characters, or offers of payment for more mercenary ones.

Sahuagin Culture and Society is a section on the sahuagin.

Next follows a description of the village of White Moon Cove. This is laid out in an identical manner to the Village Backdrops series and, indeed, is identical to the material in Village Backdrop: White Moon Cove. The village was later retrofitted into the Duchy of Ashlar of the Gloamhold setting.

Timeline of Adventure has what happens per day, from day 1 to day 13; after that, if the sahuagin haven’t been defeated, the GM will need to expand the timeline.

The first part of the adventure is a night raid by the sahuagin on the village, followed by its aftermath and hopefully the characters gaining enough information to locate the Sunken Pyramid and head there.

The main part of the adventure is exploring the Sunken Pyramid. There are three levels to the pyramid plus an underwater area, all filled with sahuagin and worse threats.

Appendix 1: New Stuff has new monsters and magic items.

Appendix 2: Underwater Adventure has rules and material for running underwater excursions.

Appendix 3: Pre-generated Characters has six 7th level characters; the pre-generated characters are higher-level versions of some that have appeared in other adventures.

The Sunken Pyramid (Full Version) in Review

The PDF is well bookmarked with everything but sidebars linked. The Contents is to a similar level of depth and is hyperlinked. Navigation is good. The text maintains a two-column black and white format and appeared to be free of errors. There are a number of black and white illustrations; the majority, bar the maps, appear to be stock.

As well as the adventure itself, there is quite a lot of detail on sahuagin culture. The early part in the book mentions certain things; later, in the Sunken Pyramid, examples of these are given. Overall, this makes the sahuagin more interesting. The description of White Moon Cove is identical to the Village Backdrop, which means an entire Village Backdrop is included in this adventure. The adventure itself has the characters going up against a dangerous, and intelligent, foe, in said foe’s own terrain where characters may well be at a disadvantage. The inclusion of rules for underwater adventures is therefore useful. Overall, this is an excellent underwater adventure. The Sunken Pyramid (Full Version) can be found by clicking here.