Review 28: Swampwater Shootout
I am a big fan of introductory adventures that are included with the core rulebook of a game. Not only is it a nice bonus, but it's usually instrumental in demonstrating the tone and vibe of the game. This week I'm talking about Swampwater Shootout, the introductory adventure included with We Deal in Lead, a Cairn hack that is inspired by the more mystical weird west stories like Stephen King's Dark Tower series. The adventure was written along with the book by Colin Le Sueur.
The general premise is that a former ally, Severn Stephens, has killed the leader of your gunslinger order, and the PCs have been hunting him down for weeks, finally tracking him to a ramshackle village. It starts in media res, with the PCs arriving and beginning their search.
Getting it to the Table
This is a very brief and concise adventure, taking up only 5 pages out of the core book's 87. No map is included, but the area in which the adventure takes place is very small (just a handful of locations), so that wasn't a big deal for me. One reason a map did not feel necessary was that each location that is detailed in the text has notes indicating how they relate to the other locations, so it was relatively easy to hold it all in the mind's eye.
Each location description is laid out with bullet points indicating the main points of interest, with encounter details following. The details were useful for setting the tone, as they utilized many different senses in the descriptions-- visual, smell, sound, etc.
Most of the other locations in the village are essentially just potential hiding places for Severn and his posse, allowing the players to search and experience the decaying desolation-- it felt like something straight out of The Gunslinger. Finally, the true hiding place will be found and, once the players overcome the defenses, the expected showdown is probably not exactly what the players expected. Once the traitorous posse is dealt with, it is revealed that Severn is dying from a gut shot and his posse has sold him out to a bounty hunter, who is on her way. The players are left with a few choices-- suggested in the adventure are a proper gunslinger duel (thus introducing one of the game's core mechanics) to give Severn a worthy death, or to have Severn join the PCs in a showdown with the bounty hunter. Either way, you get a good taste of a tense shootout at the adventure's climax.
What Worked?
- Very concise descriptions. At only 5 pages, you've still got plenty to work with and can create a nice little intro to a campaign or demo the game.
- Easy to visualize despite not having a map. Notes indicating exits and where they lead were super helpful.
- Tricky situation with a lot of solutions. The shack that Severn is hiding in is up on stilts with no clear way up, alarmed with cans on strings, and the muck beneath is teeming with mutant lobster beasts. This was the part that my players had the most fun with, coming up with clever ideas to get past the obstacles.
What Didn't Work?
- Not a whole lot to do in the other locations. Which is fine, because the whole point is that you're at the tail end of a hell bent for leather ride after the bastard who killed your friend, but maybe some interesting loot would have been nice.
- I like pretty maps, so it would have been nice to have one even though I managed without.
Final Thoughts
This was a neat little adventure that absolutely accomplishes its goal of serving as a fine introduction to the themes and tone of the game. Emotional duels of honor are key, as are disappointment and desolation. Honorable mention goes to the one posse member who just happens to have a vulture head.
You can get the core book for We Deal in Lead at Colin's itch page. Thanks for reading!