Stirring the Hornet's Nest at Het Thamsya

Ran this module as a one-shot (4.5 hours) with Cairn 2E playtest, though easily could have stretched it to two sessions as we rushed it a bit at the end. Almost all the players were new to the system and this provided an engrossing environment and looping dungeon to explore. Between trying to brain through the nature of the automatons to disgust (in a good way) at the half-wasps, we had a blast playing this. I was a bit generous with Satur no wake, but otherwise the characters were skirting death and “failure” at every corner. Plenty of space for a Referee to improvise if desired or just run this module strictly as written.

My only (minor) gripe was it could use a little more of why the adventurers would care. In a region of a thousand temples, what’s the consequence of one tiny temple dying? Treasure? Sure, but might need to raise the stakes or explicitly tie them to an NPC/mystery. I ultimately got lucky with my players rolling items and omens I could twist to drive them toward the adventure.

Again super minor critique. Overall this was a great time and I intend to use this again to introduce new players to OSR/NSR style gaming. Probably the best short-form adventure I’ve read/run in years. Can’t wait to see more from you!

I've run one session of this so far (using Brighter Worlds, a Cairn/Into the Odd hack). My impressions so far: This is perhaps my favorite OSR module that I have run yet, besting Winter's Daughter.

What makes it so great is the automata. They give the PCs something to "do" besides fight monsters. They can fight them, study them, and re-program them to their own ends using "command slips" that can be found scattered throughout the temple. The automata serve as puzzle, monster, and asset. I think the players had a huge sense of shared accomplishment when they first got a hulking "Tarantuton" working on their side.

We got just up to the point of entering the hornet's nest. I'm glad they didn't get much further because I feel like the motivations of the NPCs here could use more fleshing out. It's nice that there are two factions of hornets, but I'm not entirely sure how to play the characters. I'm gonna have to do some work on my own on that. Similarly, there's a sentient automata the PCs can find called "The Bookworm." I wish there was a bit more about its motivations, its wants and doesn't wants.

Those aren't huge gripes though, given how good the module is overall. I'm looking forward to finishing it up.

A kind of dungeon with 25 locations that are well connected and contain three or four storylines in a small space, sometimes quite bizarre, but attractive. The foundations of the temple described are in Southeast Asia, the interior looks as if it were taken from the dreams of Asimov or Miéville. The background is only hinted at, which makes the adventure all the more flexible. I was a bit surprised about R4 and the "Consequences" (...when does the cobra perceive the player characters as intruders? Is it enough to open the door here to cause the downfall of Het Thamsya as a temple?), otherwise that's a Dungeon that I can only recommend.

I absolutely love this. Thank you for making it!

I'm red-green color blind and am having a lot of trouble reading the hostility chart on page 16. Is there any chance that you would consider adding different stroke styles to show the relationships with a dimension in addition to color?

Hiti Oku Kalabus!

Unique and interesting adventure. Very well executed for use at the table.

My only recommendation is to add a link to your Patreon here or on your main Itch page so people like me who found you here can find you there too.

Beyond the characteristically amazing art, this is an inventive game from one of the most exciting talents in the scene. I ran to pick this up. You should too. Can't wait to get this to my table!

A delightful entry from Munkao of Centaur Games; a whimsical 'dungeon' that is part of a larger temple school complex. Complete with factions, loot, and a charming gimmick with automatons functioning by way of mantra command codes (with a helpful little side-bar on how to change/subvert those command codes.) The goal of recovering the meditating body of the school's founder (without waking him up!) is also a good hook and challenge to consider.

As is to be expected of a project by Munkao, the art is rich and everything you'd hope to see presented in the text is rendered for us. Humanizing touches such as etchings on the wall in the Chamber of Quiet Practise - capture the whimsical mundanity of a lived in place. 

Written with use for ItO/Cairn - and thus with an easily adapted lingua franca of probability spreads. Well worth the $6.00 asking price, and a ripe plunder at its initial sales price.

Hi!

Would it be possible to get a PDF that's pages instead of spreads?

Thanks!

BQ