The Evils of Illmire: A Module That Does All the Heavy Lifting

The Evils of Illmire is one of the best modules out there. It’s way more than a module - it’s a setting you could run for months. It does every bit of heavy lifting you want, and you get so much more than just the adventure when you download it.

Written by Zach Wolf for Old School Essentials. 76 pages. When you buy it, you get desktop backgrounds, GM screens, handouts, pregens with artwork, plus conversions for 5e, Sharp Swords and Sinister Spells, and Dungeon World.

The Setup

A nightmare cult has infiltrated this village. An extra-dimensional being called the Fear Mother has birthed Fear Spawn creatures that control people’s minds using parasitic worms called mind phages.

The cultists have dumped a potion of fear into the town well. It gives townfolk supernatural nightmares and seething paranoia. Continued exposure causes “bold fever” - people go blind and lose fingernails. People are going to start dying, which creates a natural ticking clock. If your players drink from the well, they’re getting infected too.

There’s stuff here for players who want to fight, investigate, explore, or roleplay. They’re not going to know who to trust.

The Layout Is Perfect

Everything that can possibly be done on two facing pages is done there. Map on one side, descriptions on the other. You have the information on each hex, a rundown of what’s in there, which dungeons are situated there, and random encounter tables specific to that hex.

The random encounter tables aren’t just “two goblins” - they’re tied to what’s happening in the story. One result: “Cult is investigating the undead and collecting Quicksilver.” That relates back to the poisoned well.

Factions Beyond the Main Plot

This isn’t just about the Fear Cult. There’s an Observer (a powerful sorcerer) in a tower who’s been messing with people for ages. There are Mantis Men who’ve built a huge mound and regularly raid neighboring hexes. There are Froglings who’ve been beaten down by the Mantis Men.

The Froglings will attack anyone aggressive but befriend anyone who kills Mantis Men or brings gifts. Treat anyone who ends the Mantis threat as a hero - they’ll teach climbing techniques, crafting skills, and give access to a forbidden area.

Heavy lifting done. You know exactly how NPCs will react based on what players have done.

The Village Is Alive (and Dying)

The module includes handouts for all villagers. As time progresses, move dead villagers to a separate pile called “the pyre.” You can add the PCs there too.

This emphasizes the ticking clock - you’re physically building a pile of dead people based on player actions or inaction.

The inn owner has been turned into a “brain poet” with a mind phage worm. She goes about normal business in a mindless malaise, mumbling answers, bumping into things. Cult members now run the inn for profit and kidnapping travelers.

The temple is “closed for renovations” with disguised cultists as guards. Your players will immediately go “hold up, a locked temple?” - and they’re going to get into trouble.

Weather and Random Events

There’s a weather table. Roll doubles and you get smoke from the volcano or lightning storms. A climbing events table for the mountain. Everything to make this more interesting without you doing any work.

The Extras

The GM screen has all page numbers for dungeons (which the module itself lacks - the one criticism, but it’s been addressed). There’s a players guide you can print out. Frogling handouts teach players to craft a Bullfrog Helm for underwater breathing.

Character sheets with artwork. Maps broken down by area. Desktop backgrounds. Pregens with cool art.

Bottom Line

When I read it, it was everything I could do not to run it immediately.

You can run this for months on two read-throughs. First read: enjoy it. Second read: highlight and go. The stuff that’s been sprinkled throughout connects in ways you won’t discover until you’re playing.

Get it. The Evils of Illmire