Planescape review: The Last Leg
For the last three years, I've run a Planescape1 campaign through almost all of its modules. Now, after successfully finishing it, I want to look back and review these adventures, highlighting the pros and cons of each one.
Each module will be rated in three categories, up to 3 points in each:
- Presentation: how easy it is to understand and run the adventure.
- Openness: how open the adventure's scope is, regarding the freedom of choice.
- Quality: Overall quality of the adventure, including the originality and richness of its content, and players' enjoyment.
The full list of currently published reviews is available under the planescape tag.
The Last Leg
In which the Heroes pursue a rumored Artifact, but find a Truth worth far more.
- Designers: Monte Cook and Colin McComb
- Source: The Great Modron March2, Chapter XI
- Party: 4-6 characters of 8th-10th levels
- Play-time: 1 session
- Locations:
- Outlands / Rigus
- Acheron / Avalas (L1) / The Battlecube / Clangor, the goblin-realm
- Acheron / Thuldanin (L2) / Hammergrim, the duergar realm
- Acheron / Thuldanin (L2) / The Mines of Marsellin
Overview
As the March nears its completion, the party must follow it into Acheron, lured by the rumors about the mysterious modron crucible — the artifact containing the detailed information collected by the modrons on their journey. To do this, the party must enter the gate-town of Rigus, navigating its tyrannical bureaucracy and gathering information on the modrons' route through Acheron.
📝 NOTE: More info on Rigus can be found in the Player's Primer to the Outlands3, as usual.
Depending on what information the characters get, they could either discover a portal to Marsellin located in Sigil, or follow the modrons through the Rigus' gate. The latter route is much more detailed in the module, filling up two full pages, compared to a measly four-paragraph suggestion on the Sigil route.
The "scenic" route will take the party through a series of portals and towns starting from Grashmog in the goblin-realm of Clangor, followed by Forgegloom in the duergar realm of Hammergrim, and finally arriving at the Mines of Marsellin, where they finally catch up with the March.
📝 NOTE: You can remember the metallized scrapyard of Thuldanin from its first appearance in Doors to the Unknown.
Once here, the party is accosted by a pack of achaierai4 sent by this module's arch-nemesis — warlord Craggis of the Mercykillers faction. Next, they stumble upon a rogue modron (former pentadrone) named 8. The modron proposes a trade offer, promising the information on the Modron March in exchange for assisting 8 in escape from the March and Thuldanin. Before anything else happens, though, Craggis launches his ambush, attacking the March with a horde of two hundred undead hobgoblins and two dozen bladelings5. 8 immediately alters the deal, requesting the characters to protect the March from the raiders instead.
If you have the means to do so, I would recommend going full wargame here, placing the forces according to the ambush diagram provided in the module. You can expedite the process either by grouping the combatants together or even employing the Battlesystem6 rules if your group is familiar with it. Otherwise, the module suggests a fight with the number of bladelings equal to the party size, plus warlord Craggis himself.
Several secrets are revealed to the party after the battle is over and the few remaining modrons safely pass to Mechanus:
- The modron crucible is a lie — it does not exist at all.
- Craggis is a sentient lawful evil broad sword controlling an empty suit of plate armor.
- Craggis is another "lost child" of Heiron Lifegiver, first met at the start of the March.
- Mortally wounded 8 reveals that the real reason for the unscheduled March is the death of the One and the Prime — Primus, the Supreme Modron.
The latter info refers to the Prologue chapter of the anthology, where the mysterious intruder accosts and kills Primus with a single uttered word, temporarily taking control over modrons. In the same manner, the Epilogue finishes this story as this shadowy creature departs Mechanus with the knowledge of all the information collected by the Modron March. The main downside of this is that there is no obvious way the players can discern what really happened. Even if they decide to visit Mechanus themselves, there is already a new Primus, ascended from the lower ranks as the modrons usually do. Of course, the story isn't over, as the characters will confront the fiendish servants of this menacing stranger later, in the Dead Gods7.
Presentation
🖋️🖋️ useable
The diagram of the modrons' path through Acheron cubes and a map of the Mines of Marsellin area, where the final confrontation takes place, are the only graphical aids present in the module. Minimalistic but workable. All possible encounters along the way are given full stats, as is usual for this anthology.
Openness
☀️ linear
No actual choice besides two possible routes to Marsellin is given to the party here. Might as well ditch the Sigil route completely, since the authors didn't even bother with it.
Quality
★★ good
It's an obvious railroad, but at least it's a relatively fun one. Focus on embellishing the journey through Acheron and setting up the final clash with Craggis and his army, and your players will have a good time with this module.
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https://www.dmsguild.com/product/17267/Planescape-Campaign-Setting-2e?affiliate_id=850783↩
https://www.dmsguild.com/product/17302/The-Great-Modron-March-2e?affiliate_id=850783↩
https://www.dmsguild.com/product/17301/A-Players-Primer-to-the-Outlands-2e?affiliate_id=850783↩
https://www.dmsguild.com/product/16943/Battlesystem-Miniatures-Rules-2e?affiliate_id=850783↩
https://www.dmsguild.com/product/17297/Dead-Gods-2e?affiliate_id=850783↩