Death on the Reik - The Enemy Within Review

Review:

The third installment in the Enemy Within campaign (following on from Mistaken Identity & Shadows Over Bogenhafen), Death on the Reik pursues a couple of threads still dangling after the end of Shadows Over Bogenhafen.  The module presents a couple of different starting points, which can be used depending upon if the PCs were successful or not in Bogenhafen, although these don't actually affect gameplay overmuch.  Some of the continuation threads are linked to the pre-generated PCs from Enemy Within, although it is relatively simple to convert these threads into ones that work for any group, given the career advancement mechanic in WFRP.  Basically, the threads are used to provide suitable advancement opportunities for the PCs.
The module provides the PCs with a boat, which they can use to set themselves up as small-time river traders to generate cash.  Whilst plying their trade on the Reik, they become aware of the age old machinations of an evil wizard and are made aware of the ongoing consequences of this.  There are two basic elements here: a race to piece together some clues and then find a hidden area ahead of a competing group of searchers; then a second element, which is to uproot a place and set of people who are capable of great evil, "meddling with things that should not be meddled with".
There is quite a lot of freedom in this adventure, although since key events are tied to a few specific locations, the freedom is in part perhaps more apparent than real.  This is probably a good thing, since many groups would get lost quite easily I think without these guides.  That said, much of the adventure is written as a situation rather than a plot and does allow much free play.
There are some linking elements into the previous adventures but not so much as to confuse the actual adventure too much.  It is more to give a good sense of continuity.
The adventure is reasonably, not overwhelmingly, challenging given good play.  The last section has some quite strong horror elements that younger children and adolescents might want turned down slightly - some of it is a bit stomach churning and there are some quite adult references.  It is effectively a dungeon crawl (with the chance to do some very actual dungeon crawling) with the potential for quite a large amount of violence, although this can be minimized with cautious play.
This adventure will suit quite different groups.  There are plenty of (potential) combats for groups who like the fighting/tactical wargame element, plenty of problem-solving for those who enjoy that and the opportunity for lots of role-playing for those groups who focus on that.  It is quite a flexible adventure in that the river journeys and urban sojourns can be limited or extended as desired to suit the tempo and playing time most appropriate to the group.  For instance, the river travel can be done in a couple of minutes, or extended with some sample encounters into a couple of sessions.
Overall, I think this was a pretty good module with lots to do, building nicely on what has gone before.

Please see here for a playthrough.