The Wizard Higgs is an adventure for a party of 10-12 level characters, by Cawood Publishing.

The Story 

In this adventure, the characters are going to visit many places. It begins with them washing up on the shores of the island of Nimbral, after a storm destroys their ship. There they will explore the manor of a wizard named Higgs, who is the reason this adventure takes place. Higgs has been transported to Menzoberranzan, the city of the Drow in the Underdark, and is being studied by an elder brain who is working with the Matron Mother of House Baenre. The characters are tasked with freeing him. In order to do that, they will have to travel through a small(compared to its size) part of the Underdark, reach Menzoberranzan, find Higgs and manage to free him.

The NPCs

In the adventure the characters will meet various NPCs. Some of them play important roles in it, some of which the players are not aware of. There are also a few of them that can potentially make the quest of the characters easier. One of them, for example, is the homunculus servant of Higgs that can help them track him down. An appendix is included that contains information about all the important NPCs.

The Encounters 

While most of the encounters in the adventure are interesting, the ones I liked the most take place in Higgs’ manor. Especially the traps and puzzles look fun, drawing inspiration from various sources. That said, I believe the final battle with the Elder Brain can be really good as well. It depends on how well the DM can manage a monster with lair actions.

There also enough encounters for the journey towards Menzoberranzan. However, there are a few encounter tables included if you want to add something extra. There is one table for encounters in the Underdark in general, one for the Darklake, and one for Menzoberranzan. Moreover, there are three chase tables, one for each of the areas mentioned above, if you want to add more flavor to the adventure.

The Art

There are a few art pieces in the adventure. They’re black and white and I like the style of most of them. As for the maps, there are 12 colored ones. The adventure takes place in many areas and it would be harder to run without that many. They aren’t anything special but they do cover all the places mentioned in the adventure with enough detail.

How can you use it?

This adventure has been designed for use in the Forgotten Realms setting, since there’s mention of the Weave, Drow Houses of Menzoberranzan, and the island of Nimbral. However, I don’t think it would be difficult to use it in any campaign setting. Even though the Weave plays a part in the story and is the reason Higgs is now being studied by the Elder Brain, you could change the reason Higgs is being “escorted” to the Underdark.

Extra content

A few new magic items are included in the adventure. The most interesting, in my opinion, are some magical instruments that also play a role in the adventure. Also, a few pre-generated characters are provided.

 

Final Words

Overall, The Wizard Higgs is a good adventure. If you want a taste of the Underdark and some of its inhabitants, but don’t want to run something as big as Out of the Abyss, then I recommend giving this one a look.