Tower of Indomitable Circumstance is a product from Judges Guild for use with their Universal Role Playing System. It was written by Corey Cole and was published in 1981. The module is 32 pages long. No specific level range is given but the author suggests that it be used with “beginning level” characters.
The tower is an ancient temple. It is now inhabited by a group of priests called the “Order of Math.” Math was a powerful neutral wizard aspiring to be god. He is a 30th level wizard and is currently thousands of years old. He considers himself a demi-god now but has greater ambitions.
The tower has six levels and an underground area to explore.
What I like about the Tower of Indomitable Circumstance
There are a few interesting things about this adventure. It is designed for use with beginning characters or for use as a solo adventure. There are not that many solo adventures out there so that is useful if one is looking for such a thing.
This adventure creates a new creature out of an old one. Or, I suppose, it modifies an existing one. Anyway. Tomb of Horrors had a Demi-Lich. This adventure also has one. But they are not the same. This adventure was written just about the same time that TOH came out so it is possible that JG was unaware of the development of the new monster. This version is actually just a lesser form of Lich whose powers are deteriorating from a failure to use all of the necessary magical spells to become a Lich. Obviously this adventure was written before the Von Richton Guides which detail the process of becoming a Lich in more detail. In this adventure the Lich is a 6th level MU/CL.
As in most JG adventures there are a few magical tricks which are interesting. One such trick is a room filled with statues based upon the seven deadly sins. Each statue represents a different sin. Each statue animates when approached and will make an offer to a player character that might result in an unfortunate result for that character.
What I do not like about Tower of Indomitable Circumstance
Even a 6th level Lich is dangerous for a group of “Beginning Characters.” Perhaps too dangerous. Especially since she is chaotic evil. But there is no real requirement that they fight her so that would be advisable. There is a great deal of low level undead in the tower as well.
Unlike some of the Judges Guild adventures I have reviewed this one uses far too much text to give us history and area descriptions. Honestly it bored me so much I probably skipped over important parts of the story. The adventure is 32 pages but probably could have been a lot fewer.
Would I recommend this adventure to others?
Honestly I would not. This module is rather confusing. It is also far longer than it should be. Part of this is the detailed history and background. Part of this is the inclusion of special rules for solo play. And part of this is that the author just cannot seem to write short area descriptions. Most of the information included is not that necessary or could be broken up into separate paragraphs.
Would I run Tower of Indomitable Circumstance with my own players?
No. This is not the best work I have seen from Judges Guild. I prefer Caverns of Thracia and Dark Tower.
If you enjoyed this article then you might enjoy these:
- Lich Lords
- Zienteck
- Spies of Lightelf
- The Black Ring
- Portals of Twilight
- Portals of Torsh
- Portals of Irontooth
- Thieves of Fortress Badabaskor
- Sword of Hope
- Under the Storm Giant’s Castle
- The First Fantasy Campaign
- The Arduin Grimmoire
