| Farmhands Save the Day!! | |
| by Measle | |
| Drizzt’s Review | |
Farmhands Save The Day!!, by Stephen Masel, is, by all accounts, a very popular scenario. I have seen it on a number of peoples’ favorite scenario lists, it finished third in the Second Scenario contest, behind only Alcritas’ work, and was recently even mentioned in a article about Blades written by Jeff Vogel.
In one sense, I agree with these opinions. The strongest point of Farmhands is easily its humor. This scenario is very funny. Actually hilarious at points. It’s full of quirky characters, goofy mix-ups and extremely well done parodies. The characters and dialogue are surprisingly thorough and refreshingly original and things are never quite as you would expect them.
I laughed out loud at the summer camp, and even felt a bit sorry for the poor kid who decided to take a midnight swim, alone, with a hockey mask wearing killer on the loose.
The plot is also a bit better than others have given it credit for. While it involves the requisite and overdone “bandits terrorizing the land that no one can seem to find or stop and their tedious hidden underground lairs,” the final battle with the leader is well done. Also, the fact that bad things happen if you unwittingly share details with the bandit’s leader is worth mentioning.
All this, however, is secondary to the main goal in the scenario ... discovering the “true” origins of Exile. In order to accomplish this, you have to wander around to the different towns and other locations getting the required signatures that will allow you to enter the final area. I won’t spoil what awaits, but let’s just say the custom graphics are, well ... unique. You’re not likely to see these in another Blades scenario.
However, by the end I felt a bit disappointed with the scenario as a whole. Nothing is seriously wrong with it, but it has that decidedly first generation scenario feel about it. The outdoors are fairly bland and empty ... lots of wandering between towns. There are skill point mist globes for sale at the end, and for rather cheap, too. Special node usage is OK, but nothing ... well, special is done with them. Nothing here that you haven’t seen before. The final puzzle is a bit of a mystery ... you’re just told you need a “gift” and there is no clue as to what makes one item a better gift than another, although afterwards it makes a bit of sense.
Ultimately, maybe Farmhands high standing is due to the fact that this is type of scenario the typical Blades player is looking for. No long and complicated names to remember, no battling factions of weird races or creatures, no pages of history or “what has gone on efore” to read before you even start playing, just general silliness and fun in a familiar setting and a simple scenario.
This is a good scenario, and everyone should try it, but just be aware of what it is and what it isn’t. I give it a 7.5, because of the above mentioned shortcomings, and the fact that I like long names.
Drizzt