#I just don't like shouting into the void so I don't do it unless prompted

[swords-starships-and-sylvari]

Tell me about those Neverwinter Nights modules?

Ok! As background for the unaware, Neverwinter Nights is ostensibly a cRPG in the same vein as Baldur’s Gate or Pillars of Eternity, with three campaigns using D&D 3e rules. However, it’s better understood as a cRPG engine and set of robust, user-friendly modding tools. Its campaigns are effective demonstrations of what a person can make with the tools they’re given, but only the third one (Hordes of the Underdark) is a campaign I’d bother playing more than once. 

The Neverwinter Vault is a fan website and repository of mods, ranging everywhere from minor graphical changes to major gameplay overhauls. One of the largest categories of mods are modules, or custom campaigns/adventures. The complexity and scope of an individual module can vary greatly; some might last the player no more than an hour, and some rival AAA games in sheer content available. Below the cut is a brief list of modules I particularly enjoyed, or currently have in my queue:

Favorites I’ve Played:

HeX Coda 01 - One of my favorite examples of what can be done with the NWN engine, this module manages to blend fantasy and sci-fi in a neat way that I don’t often see. The characters are personable and well-written, and I still have fond memories of getting to know their quirks years after playing. My only lament is that the author stopped after one-and-a-quarter modules, so we’re unlikely to ever see the full trilogy he planned. 

A Dance With Rogues series  [NSFW] [Trigger Warnings] - This series is frustrating to talk about. On one hand, it’s got some of the best character writing of any modules I’ve played, and it’s easily the most satisfying rogue/stealth gameplay I’ve experienced in a NWN module. On the other hand, there’s an awful amount of sexual violence inflicted on the player character (some of which is unavoidable), and a rather significant chunk of the module is just plain smut. I greatly enjoyed it, but I cannot recommend it without also giving a boatload of disclaimers. 

Aribeth’s Revival series (Not to be confused with Aribeth’s Redemption) - A cute, fluffy, romance-driven sequel to the first campaign. If you played it, and wanted to smooch Aribeth, I wholeheartedly recommend the first couple modules in this series. However, Aribeth’s Revival III was written by a different author, and he was apparently unaware that the first two let you play as a woman. If you’re seeking soft sapphic feels, you’ll either need to stop after the first two or get misgendered constantly from hardcoded pronouns. Don’t let that stop you from playing the first two!

Next in my Queue:

Tales of Arterra - I know nothing about this series except that your dad has a run-in with a werewolf as the very first thing that happens, and that the community apparently loves the series to death. There’s a 95% chance this is my next module to play; I just need to stop waffling between different character options. 

Almraiven - This is supposed to be the best-of-the-best wizard/sorcerer roleplaying module. Tons of dialogue, tons of creative use of spells, disguise systems, and so on and so forth. Biggest reason I haven’t played it yet is that I hate playing Vancian mages, even if there’s relatively little actual spellcasting.

Sanctum of the Archmage series - This is another of the community favorites for roleplaying/dialogue. The primary reason I haven’t finished the series so far is that this module relies on a good chunk of supporting mods, so there’s a bit of effort involved in setting it up in the first place. I do eventually plan to play it, just haven’t gotten around to it yet.