Well done! I loved reading this module, though I never ran it. I'd use U1 as an intro module and then leave the rest of the U series unused to go to other modules or homebrew adventures. I remember running U1 as one of a few seashore modules (at least one of which was from Dragon Magazine) before sending a party to X1, and I remember using U1 as the intro module before sending the party on a variety of home made adventures around the Wild Coast before getting them started on the Slavers series. I know that there were some others, but I don't remember them specifically. I do vaguely remember U1 being used as a xp boost filler adventure in concert with the Lendore Isle series, but I think that was an adventure a friend of mine ran.

Thanks for running the game for us! I had a ball! Now that I have played U1-3. U1 is by far the best of the lot. This is no reflection on the DM or the Players, but rather the writing. U2 as written, you can almost skip it with good roll play. And U3 is a good module, it’s not as much fun as U1. Thanks again! It was awesome!

I really enjoyed your review. Nicely done.

Hey, this was great! I think I watched a couple other reviews of this module. One of the criticisms was if the party did not ally with the lizard men, by getting a "tongues" scroll or something like that, which allowed them to communicate, that all would be lost. The waterbreathing scroll also seems to present a very similar critical bottleneck in the adventure, that my players are sure to screw up! Your points about running a module on that scale are also well taken! I have modified and blended version of the new and old Saltmarsh modules with a twist that places the a cult similar to the cult of Dagon among the townsfolk. I am currently considering whether to go the U2, U3 route or branch off in a different direction entirely. This helps me decide which way to go. The area is rich with opportunity and I have decided to make a "Saltmarsh" that is one part a medieval "Innsmouth" of sorts and another part a kind of "Dagonesque" Brigadoon.

This is an interesting ending of the series and really shows the Sahuagin as evil creatures. However, most players don't really understand how to explore a dungeon setting as a recon mission as opposed to a dungeon crawl where you open the door, kill the monster, get the treasure, repeat. The underwater environment is interesting. It's a clever concept, but it needed to be for a higher level of players. My favorite little segment was that the ship that brought you to the area would drop you off and leave. If it dropped anchor, the Sahuagin would eventually notice it and attack it. Nice touch. But very ambitious and very interesting read.

This was probably the last set of modules I played with my group at home before I had to move out into the world to work. Sigh!! Our group was built in an illogical unsustainable fashion. I think we had an Assassin pretending to be a thief and one pretending to be a fighter. We had a Good but dumb fighter, a puritan cleric, A Paladin, and some sort of CN Sorceror. Yes a completely incompatible and uncontrollable group, generally all on the prod for themselves except for the pure core that were mostly oblivious. Despite the make up of our characters , our group was also an unsubtle bunch and we wrecked on U2 completely missing the Final Enemy and in retrospect probably assuring the creation of a vicious unstoppable Sahaugin Empire on our nations southern border. We enjoyed our time in both modules. We did figure out some things. I have always wanted to run it as DM and on occasion over the last 30 odd years I have plugged away at building a town of Salt Marsh to be one of the major trading towns in my D&D world. I have 2300 odd inhabitants and probably stats and stories for 3 or 4 hundred. I envisioned using this base and these sea themed Items to go to or be interspersed with Restenford L1+2 and then potentially the Isle of Dread with an expanded Kopru component. Great Module. I appreciate your take. I have to agree that on it's own unless you go in hyper powered and nuke them like the Giants, this third module on its own is less interesting. Ninety percent of the mysteries have already been solved. Few reveals left and not really original or interesting ones. I think our lack of success with U-2 should gratify the authors a bit as there is a mystery which probably isn't that great if everyone figures it out. You write a mystery you want to fool someone. We were your party. Good work Dave J. Browne.

Great review. The party I took through this in high school went in with drawn steel and bolts flying. Then they were crushed by the numbers. A few managed to escape, primarily because I felt bad about the situation. And then they complained about it being too tough for their levels. They pretty much missed every point you made. I like to think they would be more attentive to those details and think more of possible consequences as adults. If not, then as a much more nuanced DM than I was at 16, if they made a headlong push into the lair I would have had the sahaugin give ground all the way to the third level in a constant state of retreat, then seal off behind the party all chance of them getting out. Then just let them drown. But then again I just re-read "Shadow Over Innsmouth" and "At the Mountains of Madness", so my thinking may still be a bit affected.

300xp

I had prepped for U3 but life intervened and we never got a chance to play the U series. I had intended on the Sea Elf npc giving out a "pearl of water breathing" to each of the pc's that would allow them to really search the lower levels of U3. The potions are ridiculously inadequate.

I like your reviews, but I might be a player in this module in the future, and I prefer not to spoil the experience by watching a review with spoilers. This review does have spoilers, doesn't it?

Your players made it through without casualty? Awesome. It would be interesting to hear how you handled the underwater combat, just sayin'.

3 online sessions? Is there any way of joining one of those? :)