Really nice and flavorful, with lots of interesting little details! I love how the materials help guide decisions and connect items across rooms (like the orichalcum key+coffer)

The one thing that I’m not sure is how the players are meant to link the constellation groups. 1 is clear and guided by the Amphisbaena, but 2-3 and 4-5-6 are spread in different rooms with no hints connecting them, also with 3-5 appearing together in the sanctum. Or am I reading it wrong and either 4, 5, or 6 would lead to the vault? I’m also not sure how to guide the players towards patterns having a different number of constellations in each. I guess the amphisbaena can say it directly, but maybe if running this, I might want to think of a way to standardize the portal addresses, and have more hints for the portal addresses.

everything in this is smart and crafty chiseled. Just a little perfect adventure. I this was a "basic scenario" jam i would dare say it could be a runner for the title

The constellations chart rules, and I loved all the lil moments involving each- such a fun lil flavor-meets-mechanics thing that makes a place feel both real & mystical. I just know that both players & PCs will have that kinda “Oh… OH!” moment, like Wee Bey in The Wire, that’ll make them feel oh so clever. Also, shoutout marginalia familiar lol. Great job!

"Thaumaturge of the Alizarin Pool" is, as it says on the cover, a "terse weird fantasy dungeon" and it delivers on that promise.

The dungeon is dense, written in a simple and readable serif font, that offers a series of puzzles to complete. While there are options for danger, death, and combat, successful adventures must be more like the heroes from Appendix N novels, using their wits and creativity to survive and thrive.

I am particularly keen on the dungeon's focus being almost entirely on puzzles.

The entry makes great use of its limited space, including its map peeking out from underneath the torn cover. The art itself is from the public domain and used in a way that elevates the dungeon. This would not look at all out of place in the dusty shelves of a used book store!

solid work! imo the layout + flow of information shine here. the whole thing is clean, easy to read, and sells the old book feel nicely. well put-together, especially for a first module.

high: the observatorium read-out text. great setpiece. it's a spike of energy that shifts the mood in an otherwise subdued dungeon. i also think it's cosmically funny that the thaumaturge gets the reputation of "keeper of the ledger of fates" but actually his statue does the keeping while he hangs out in his hot tub of ecstasy and terror.

low: the constellation list is cool, but i don't love making the puzzle elements random. it's a missed opportunity IMO. little details like being specific about the thaumaturge's birthsign add depth of flavor that piques my interest as reader and GM. so, i would've liked to see that!

in-between: the vault statue can easily kill people with its evil gas. but the corpse next to it seems to be both desiccated and bludgeoned. why did the statue do that. what's its deal.

Constellation mechanic is so awesome and refreshing. The prose inside is beautiful. I love the map on the cover, and this whole adventure feels overall exhilarating. Nicely done!