Introducing the Horsemen of Reinhorn Adventure Module for OSE Fantasy Settings!
When it comes to Dungeons and Dragons, my current favorite systems are on polar ends: Old School Essentials (OSE) and 5th Edition. OSE’s roots in the Basic Expert (B/X) are my initial roots in the game. In 5e, I can see the its roots extending back to the BX game that OSE perfectly captures. 5e reflects modern sensibilities; providing for numerous options and player character longevity. The designs of the two rule sets though, are substantially different enough to warrant consideration of what mechanics are better suited to the design of a particular module. OSE with its old school ‘save or die’, ‘save or turn to stone’, and ‘zero hit points means your dead’, makes for a more harrowing game play experience for players, especially at low levels. While I’m not shy with adding or changing rules mechanics to fit a particular setting or module, I do enjoy that ‘we’re fighting for our lives’ feel of OSE. When looking at The Horsemen of Reinhorn, originally designed for use with 5e, you could see the Grimm Fairy Tale roots and all the elements of a module designed to evoke horror but I wondered if 5e was the best mechanic for this particular module?
While converting it on the fly was certainly possible, the scale of monster power is rather different between the two rule sets. For example, see what happens with a group of 2nd-3rd level characters in OSE encounter two Will-O-Wisps as opposed to a party of four of similar levels in 5e. Those OSE characters are most certainly facing a total party kill. A careful review and design really was necessary to keep the original feel of the module without turning the module into a paper shredder of character sheets. Yeah, OSE is tough but rewarding.
After some discussions with its author, he kindly allowed me to take it and revise it for play using Old School Essentials. I think it’s a bit of a hybrid. It’s a plot driven module with opportunities for sandbox play. In a way, I think it harkens back to those 2nd Edition modules like Ravenloft, where your characters had a clear purpose and anticipated showdown with the likes of Strahd, but you had room for some emergent play through encounters along the way. The Horsemen of Reinhorn is a mix of wilderness and dungeon adventure. We’ve designed it with setting neutrality in mind. You can plug and play it right into your own campaign.
The Horsemen of Reinhorn is a challenging module, and while it is possible to start it using 1st level characters, we recommend characters of at least 2nd level. It’s not simply a “kill the monster and move to the next room” module. There are certainly monsters to overcome, but not everything needs to be overcome using the edge of an axe. There are numerous opportunities for NPC interactions and encounters that can be resolved by roleplaying. PCs stand to gain new allies, friends, mentors and enemies in Reinhorn. If they play their cards right, they might even come out of it with a stronghold of their own.
I wish you safe travels through the Fenwood and safe return from Iron Pike Castle.
-Dean