So I was reading through DL1 Dragons of Despair again, and I think I can articulate why I dislike it right at the beginning.

In a well run campaign or story, the world is casually consistent and events happen independent of the the PCs (if they are not doing things).

The module starts off with the back story of, "no cleric has been seen in 300 years". But for some reason, the PCs have been searching for a cleric for the past 5 years. And just as they meet, they encounter Toede and hobgoblins who are looking for a "blue staff" which just happens to one of the things associated with bringing gods back to the world.

Then they just happen to encounter Goldmoon (who later becomes the first cleric in 300 years, I guess).

It is all just so contrived.

Everything exists because the PCs are there. Everything feels like a set piece.

The adventure immediately delivers exactly what the PCs are looking for, usually through a series of very unlikely coincidences.

Then, on page 5 it states, Two regions cannot be captured by the draconian army at this time: the Qualinesti Elflands (area 19) and the Darken Wood (22- 26). Theirs is another story, to be told in future DRAGONLANCE modules.

No matter what! Nothing can happen unless the PCs are there.

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