Cyclopean Deeps Volume I by Matt Finch is a role playing game supplement published by Frog God Games for use with Swords & Wizardry. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result. The supplement also comes in a Pathfinder version. This is the first book in what is described as a high-level two-part campaign sandbox.
The supplement is available as a 161-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $16.99 and 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. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one page is the front matter, one the Table of Contents and two pages are the Open Game License.
The Introduction explains that the Deeps are very dangerous and they are located under the Rappan Athuk megadungeon as well. The book is essentially a sandbox – which means even more dangerous. Placing the Deeps in another campaign world is easy enough, as they are a long way below the surface. One suggestion is linking them up with a series of unnamed modules from the 80s; by reference, D1-3 which were included in the mega module GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders.
Chapter 1: Down to Ques Querax has descriptions of movement, types of passageways and wandering monster charts. These include caravans, which could be a good, and dangerous, source of money. The Deeps are on a hex map, but as the hexes are underground, there are fewer occupied hexes than in an above ground hex crawl, as many are solid rock. This chapter has Hex 0E, the standard method of linking the Deeps to a campaign, with a canyon and a means of getting to Ques Querax, which may well be the characters’ main base, at least initially.
Chapter 2: Eye of the Titan, describes the fortress of Ques Querax in Hex 3X, largely neutral ground run by the Eye of Gaaros. This chapter describes the main caravanserai, the shops and taverns and the catacombs beneath it. Characters can also find out rumours.
Chapter 3: Izamne, City of Endless Dark is a city run by the dark folk. This covers light in the region – banned; it has a tendency to summon demons – and the prevalent darkmist. Three minor hexes, 7N, 8Q and 9L, are covered in this section, which have entrances to the city and shrines. The city itself is Hex 13R and this chapter has general features for the city, including a labelled two-page map, random building generation and random encounters.
Chapter 4: Izamne, Secrets of the Dark City covers the important locations on the map, including a tavern that may be an initial base for characters and is a good place to pick up rumours and jobs. In this chapter there are details of the motivations, goals, enemies and allies of some of the major NPCs that can be encountered and tables for generating names for some of the races; the city is not solely the home of darkfolk. The final section of this chapter is Other Neighbourhoods which are some more suggested locations, minor ones, for character to encounter if they are exploring the city.
Chapter 5: Dread Domes of the Serpentfolk covers Hex 14L, Hex 16M, Hex 17J and Hex 18M. Only Hex 18M is the true homes of the serpentfolk; the other three contain a monster, the remains of a destroyed dome and a prison. There is a reference to a, non-existent, sidebar on Carrion Flies; perhaps this should have referred to the monster appendix. The, insane, leader of the serpentfolk is also described as the power who could be most of help to characters wishing to establish a base in the Cyclopean Deeps, once they kill an enemy. He isn’t reliable, sane or good, but he’s more reliable than most and no more evil.
Chapter 6: Converging Caverns of Leng is the final area covered in Volume 1. It covers Hex 9G, home of a fugitive duergar prince – there are references here to a section, Elder Things and Middle-Divinities, in Chapter 4, but that section is actually in Appendix II – Hex 5C, a collapsed region. Hex 5F, the Air of Leng, where characters can end up hallucinating, and Hex 11F, where there is an oracular throne. The final hex is 2C, which is the Plateau of Leng, where characters move into a different realm of reality. This area is odd, as it is intended to be, and means the characters are effectively exploring the Plateau of Leng when they progress further, rather than being underground.
Appendix I: Glossary is a collection of various terms used; many of these are proper names.
Appendix II: Monsters is divided into three sections. The first section has new monsters, the second reproduces existing ones from other supplements (The Tome of Horrors Complete and Monstrosities; useful for those who lack those supplements) and the third section. Elder Things and Middle-Divinities doesn’t have game stats but describes various powers below the level of gods.
Appendix III: Magic Items has the new magic items from the supplement.
Appendix IV: New Spells has a single new spell.
Appendix V: Maps has maps of the various locations. These are reproduced from the text itself and come in labelled and unlabelled versions, the latter player-friendly.
Appendix VI: Legal is the Open Game License.
Cyclopean Deeps Volume I in Review
The PDF is extensively bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. The Table of Contents is not as thorough, with only the chapters and appendices linked. Navigation is decent. The PDF follows a two-column black and white format and various errors were noticed; typos, errors in formatting where read aloud text was between sentences and, in one monster description, it appeared to have something from another monster description within it. There are a number of black and white illustrations, many of which appear to be custom. Presentation is decent.
It could theoretically be possible to run this without access to Cyclopean Deeps Volume II, but it would be more difficult. There are many references to places and beings from the second volume; without access to it, these references would need altering and some of them are related to tasks various NPCs would like doing. The primary NPCs encountered all have lists of goals, both short and long term, allies and enemies and notes.
With this being a sandbox adventure, and an old school one at that in a realm that has always been portrayed as being dangerous – and this is considered to be a dangerous location even for that – there is a definite chance that characters could bite off more than they can chew. Character deaths are highly likely, especially for those that try open assaults against powerful groupings of dangerous individuals. Negotiation and diplomacy are going to be important – even if that means being diplomatic with evil individuals. This is not really a campaign that is suited to modern style of play, nor is it really suited to novices. Cyclopean Deeps Volume I is a potentially lethal start to the campaign and it can be found by clicking here.
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