OK guys, first thing to get straight is that I bought this product at a discount on condition that I review it. I had downloaded the freebie adventures which I thought were pretty impressive, and wanted to see how good the real product was. The limits to this review is that I have not spent the full time it would take to read the product completely as at this point I was taking advantage of the discount opportunity offered to see if I would buy the complete campaign in the future, and for the small price you get a lot of pages to review.

So will I buy the rest? Most definitely. I am a GM who likes most things outlined for me, so prep time can be minimised in those really busy weeks. The module comes with commentary on how to use the product in either the full campaign or in your own world, and is broken down quite nicely into logical sections each with their own outlines of what the section will achieve, goal of the action - including how to start, text that you can just read out to the players, and even commentary on how to cope with failure of players to obtain the correct goals. There appears to be a nice balance between action events and puzzle solving events - if you are after a dungeon bash this is probably not the product.for you. For me the ease with which I can pick up and run the campaign is a great attraction - however if you like to add your own twists there is plenty of scope to do that also.

This is the fourth in a series of ten - each comes with an extra sourcebook. Included with this is a bestiary. It contains great detail on all of the creatures and monsters and includes a lot of illustrations. It is divided into a number of sections, including how to use the monsters in the game, the rules for using them, and the detailed bestiary entry itself. I was impressed by the detail and quality of whole package.

Overall I think that while this product can be run on its own, the full benefits of the detailed commentaries, the strength of the detail, will only be realised by running this as part of the greater campaign where the linked plots build into the full story design. Again the breadth of the scope of the complete series is pretty impressive.

One of the features of the product is that it is available in different rules versions but I'm not sure how useful that is to the average GM. I've never changed rulesets mid campaign, so being able to buy the product ready for 4 different rules is not that useful to me. I only play with 2 of the different rules versions myself, and the different versions have slight differences in mechanics tailored to the specific rules versions, which is nice and shows some care in putting together the different versions. The bestiary entries also look to be tailored nicely for each ruleset. But ultimately I think I will decide with my players on the ruleset we want to use, and stick with that for the whole campaign.

overall I was pretty impressed!

OK guys, first thing to get straight is that I bought this product at a discount on condition that I review it. I had downloaded the freebie adventures which I thought were pretty impressive, and wanted to see how good the real product was. The limits to this review is that I have not spent the full time it would take to read the product completely as at this point I was taking advantage of the discount opportunity offered to see if I would buy the complete campaign in the future, and for the small price you get a lot of pages to review.

So will I buy the rest? Most definitely. I am a GM who likes most things outlined for me, so prep time can be minimised in those really busy weeks. The module comes with commentary on how to use the product in either the full campaign or in your own world, and is broken down quite nicely into logical sections each with their own outlines of what the section will achieve, goal of the action - including how to start, text that you can just read out to the players, and even commentary on how to cope with failure of players to obtain the correct goals. There appears to be a nice balance between action events and puzzle solving events - if you are after a dungeon bash this is probably not the product.for you. For me the ease with which I can pick up and run the campaign is a great attraction - however if you like to add your own twists there is plenty of scope to do that also.

This is the fourth in a series of ten - each comes with an extra sourcebook. Included with this is a bestiary. It contains great detail on all of the creatures and monsters and includes a lot of illustrations. It is divided into a number of sections, including how to use the monsters in the game, the rules for using them, and the detailed bestiary entry itself. I was impressed by the detail and quality of whole package.

Overall I think that while this product can be run on its own, the full benefits of the detailed commentaries, the strength of the detail, will only be realised by running this as part of the greater campaign where the linked plots build into the full story design. Again the breadth of the scope of the complete series is pretty impressive.

One of the features of the product is that it is available in different rules versions but I'm not sure how useful that is to the average GM. I've never changed rulesets mid campaign, so being able to buy the product ready for 4 different rules is not that useful to me. I only play with 2 of the different rules versions myself, and the different versions have slight differences in mechanics tailored to the specific rules versions, which is nice and shows some care in putting together the different versions. The bestiary entries also look to be tailored nicely for each ruleset. But ultimately I think I will decide with my players on the ruleset we want to use, and stick with that for the whole campaign.

overall I was pretty impressed!

OK guys, first thing to get straight is that I bought this product at a discount on condition that I review it. I had downloaded the freebie adventures which I thought were pretty impressive, and wanted to see how good the real product was. The limits to this review is that I have not spent the full time it would take to read the product completely as at this point I was taking advantage of the discount opportunity offered to see if I would buy the complete campaign in the future, and for the small price you get a lot of pages to review.

So will I buy the rest? Most definitely. I am a GM who likes most things outlined for me, so prep time can be minimised in those really busy weeks. The module comes with commentary on how to use the product in either the full campaign or in your own world, and is broken down quite nicely into logical sections each with their own outlines of what the section will achieve, goal of the action - including how to start, text that you can just read out to the players, and even commentary on how to cope with failure of players to obtain the correct goals. There appears to be a nice balance between action events and puzzle solving events - if you are after a dungeon bash this is probably not the product.for you. For me the ease with which I can pick up and run the campaign is a great attraction - however if you like to add your own twists there is plenty of scope to do that also.

This is the fourth in a series of ten - each comes with an extra sourcebook. Included with this is a bestiary. It contains great detail on all of the creatures and monsters and includes a lot of illustrations. It is divided into a number of sections, including how to use the monsters in the game, the rules for using them, and the detailed bestiary entry itself. I was impressed by the detail and quality of whole package.

Overall I think that while this product can be run on its own, the full benefits of the detailed commentaries, the strength of the detail, will only be realised by running this as part of the greater campaign where the linked plots build into the full story design. Again the breadth of the scope of the complete series is pretty impressive.

One of the features of the product is that it is available in different rules versions but I'm not sure how useful that is to the average GM. I've never changed rulesets mid campaign, so being able to buy the product ready for 4 different rules is not that useful to me. I only play with 2 of the different rules versions myself, and the different versions have slight differences in mechanics tailored to the specific rules versions, which is nice and shows some care in putting together the different versions. The bestiary entries also look to be tailored nicely for each ruleset. But ultimately I think I will decide with my players on the ruleset we want to use, and stick with that for the whole campaign.

overall I was pretty impressed!

Product Review: Defendi, Robert J. 2007. The Echoes of Heaven “The Tainted Tears” & “The Bestiary”. Salt Lake City: Final Redoubt Press. 58pp. Stock# 1004DB $9.99

Robert Defendi’s, The Tainted Tears is a complex cohesion of metaphors and riddles. He creates a module with a Christian-base myth, developed in such a way as to accommodate both the thinking and combat needs of the players and allowing the GM to manipulate the players through their own knowledge of Christianity, or lack there of.

The overview and history tying directly to what the GM needs to this particular module (and) in his series is a nice touch. Defendi gives his GMs a step–by–step description of the game flow and the thought processes going into the module’s designing, coupled with a writer’s definition of terms, the processes used and how each is to be used and interpreted allows the GM to interpret the author and run the game in the way Defendi sees it, perhaps even leaning (or relearning) something. Still though, it is written to definitely allow for individual flavoring by the GM.

This is not a print–n–go, hack–n–slash, there are a number of points the GM must familiarize himself with prior to running this module. Hence, I suggest printing it in its entirety and giving the GM the ability to prepare and make notes as well. Tailoring to the players, the GM will then have a game his players will talk about for some time.

The only real down I found in the module itself, was the strength differences between the templates for the players and the villains during the designed combats. I would recommend bringing some of them down a little. The design allows for both fight and flight but players may get discourage unable to win any but the easiest of encounters. Bringing down the combat strengths of the opponents will mix the results. In my opinion giving some to run from, some to fight and win, and some to fight and have to flee from; thus keeping the players on edge.

The Bestiary’s composition includes unique angles, demons and undead; some more than a bit interesting. With creatures, insertable into any campaign, that gives the players an encounter that they have never seen and in the dark on how to just walk through the encounter.

It will take the GM a little time to prepare and some coaxing to keep the players snaking along the course for the game, but is well worth it. Written in all four of the major gaming systems, so no matter what you play, get yourself a pen and sit with this module in hand for an evening or two. Introduce your players to Robert Defendi’s Tainted Tears, they will love and regret that you did!

Written by: Eric Sheppard

Great little structures - I love them. Would like to see more in the series and particularly support for CC3 and other style packs.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Variety, quality.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Would like to see more in the series and particularly support for CC3 and other style packs.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

Lost Kingdom of the Dwarves

Lost Kingdom of the Dwarves is the next supplement for Echoes of Heaven. It details the country of Uzarag that was once the homeland for the dwarves but has since been taken over by the Warlord.

It starts with a history of the realm, more detailed story of Saint Kulan and the fall to the Warlord. I found the stories quite good and gave me a good feel for the history.

Next you have some backround on dwarves in general. The ironic part of this is that Uzarag is the home of the dwarves yet none live. This information has a lot to do with how dwarves live in other cultures while maintaining their own, and their dreams of retaking the realm. Although there are obvious parallels to Moria, which the author also points out, it is in this section where the differences are most notable making Uzarag Defendi?s as opposed to an imitation of Tolkein. The psychology of Belkanath dwarves is a little dark. For example the more you suffer in the attainment of a goal, the more important it is. Smith?s having their hands broken on their anvil (and healed) when they become masters. You also have the Unwed who gave up on marriage and family and instead devote their lives to another pursuit ? be it a craft or warfare.

Next up ? the orcs, the real denizens of Uzarag. Their culture is quite simple and brutal. You also get some brief descriptions of several cities, some NPC?s and adventure seeds sprinkled throughout.

After this some new rules ? dwarven rune casting and the Unwed training package. The latter is fairly straightforward. Runecasting and the rune priest I found quite interesting as a new class in that the character could have a ring of runes (like keys) to cast from. You also get some stats for rune silver and rune gold, magical elements that are found in Uzarag previously mined by the dwarves.

Overall I found the material quite interesting and well put together. One thing to remember is that it is a region book and not a city like Feldric?s Redoubt in The Last Free City was. As such there are no city maps but there are a few tiles of that could be used as generic locations like part of a dungeon or a gatehouse. While these are a nice touch, I feel they were almost unnecessary. They are well done but seem out of place ? the book deals with a region and the map is of a room for example.

It did seem to be a bit light on specifics but I felt a lot of that was covered in On Corrupted Ground as use for an active orc installation.

On Corrupted Ground

This is the companion adventure that goes along with the Kingdom of the Dwarves. It continues the saga of the Splinter from the first adventure The Throne of God. The party learns that the Splinter is in Uzarag and bad things will happen if it stays. So the party hitches up with some dwarves on holiday (as in off to Uzarag to kill some orcs and perhaps find return some dwarven artifacts) to go to one of the cities in the eastern part of Uzarag and get it.

Overall the fort is put together well. The battle plan of the orcs is fairly simple and if the party screws up they will most likely be killed or captured ? as it should be if you are entering a hostile fortification. Perhaps I am too much of a purist but it was actually nice to see bathrooms (or garderobes as they are called in the book which I had to look up) in an occupied fortification.

The climax could make some very tense players and reminds me a bit of Vecna Lives. Let us just say that it should be very intense and end quite badly and quickly for the party.

A new monster is included (water wraith, more powerful windwraith from an earlier supplement) And stats for the Warlord. <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Kingdom - Excellent map of the region. Loved the history. I also thought the nuances on dwarven psychology fit the setting quite well.

Corrupted Ground - Liked the stat sheet for tracking inhabitants. Will be very helpful. <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Kingdom - Some editing errors - typos referencing stats from other systems for example.

Corrupted Ground - The teaser to me seemed really out of place - like a half-teaser - and I didn't think added much. Perhaps it will make more sense in the next one.

The maps are really good but awfully dark. Although well done (I am envious of his proficiency in CC3) the room numbers are hard to read if printed in color on 8 1/2 x 11.

Failure again could cause the world to end, like the last one. Although I enjoyed the adventure, if played in succession (rather than with some filler as there aren't enough exp in the last one to get the party to the suggested 9th level) 'saving the world' again could lessen the drama later on saving the world for the final time.

<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

This product details Felric's Redoubt, a city in The Echoes of Heaven campaign setting from Final Redoubt Press. The download also includes the adventure The Festering Earth, part two of a ten-part series taking the characters from 1st to 20th level while they face the dangers of a world-threatening plot. You can read my review of the setting here on RPGNow.

The Last Free City continues the innovations started in the original product. One of the best is the way the book denotes adventure hooks. The designers are very clear regarding which of the various plot threads will be developed in future supplements and which are free and clear for the DM to explore without fear of contradicting later published sources. I also really like the included maps, which were all created using Campaign Cartographer. The raw CC files are in the download, giving a little added utility to those DMs who own that program.

The Last Free City opens with a detailed history of the city itself. Felric's Redoubt was founded in the wake of a long a bloody conflict between agents of the Empire Vurtus and those few souls who dared resist the imperial power. It was interesting that the city of Felric's Redoubt was built in a sub-optimal location. According to the book, the initial survey for the fortress that later grew into the city was poorly handled and city leaders had to compensate by building a number of improvements. I found this an interesting and realistic change from the usual well-planned and modern-looking cities that often show up in gaming products.

Besides the history, the book gives descriptions of the language, names, and culture of the city. Notes on swearing, insult contests, and vows give the DM the tools to really help make the setting come alive for the players. There is a great deal of space devoted to the various guilds that control the city's commerce, as well as the people that run them. Art, government, entertainment, and the law are all touched upon as well. The level of information is good, and certainly detailed enough to be useful at the gaming table.

The PDF itself is nice-looking. The layout is good and there is decent art throughout. I appreciate the inclusion of an index, which supplement's the PDF's bookmarking and helps those who want to print the book and use a physical copy at the table. I really appreciate the designer's skill with Campaign Cartographer, a program that is often considered to have a steep learning curve. This is a small-press product, though, and it does show a bit from time to time. The art is black and white, and some pieces aren't all that impressive. Its a small complaint, however, and the PDF looks good overall.

The other part of this download is the adventure. The Festering Earth continues where the previous module (included in the campaign setting download) left off. It is a fairly complex adventure with an involved plot. Essentially, the party must work with and against the church to stop a demonic serial killer. There is also a section called a teaser, which is a kind of mini story-within-a-story. In it, the players run 1st level versions of themselves some ten thousand years in the past. These teasers are meant to provide a slowly unfolding backstory while simultaneously giving the players a direct hand in the history of the world. They probably won't work for every group, but the concept is certainly an innovative one.

Players will appreciate the author's efforts to avoid railroading and allow them to explore as they see fit. DMs will appreciate the extra tools the book gives to help keep things on track. These take the form of Dramatic Purpose sidebars, which explain the designer's intent for each scene. In addition, notes are scattered here and there on potentially unexpected results and how to deal with them. The adventure is a good one, and one of its principle strengths is how well it is tied to the campaign setting.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: These products are like a glimpse into a very detailed and interesting home-brew campaign setting. The level of background and setting information is impressive and the layout and presentation is professional and appealing. The author does a great job detailing the city, and the included adventure is nicely meshed with the setting. Felric's Redoubt is excellent, regardless of which game system you're using to run it.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: As heavy as it is on setting detail, Felric's Redoubt is very light on rules. Part of this, I believe, has to do with the way the book was written. There are four versions, each for a different game system. To this end, the designers have kept the actual rules content fairly sparse. There is enough to run things, but not much more. When done properly, rules can really support setting detail. A few prestige classes and feats would have helped support the fluffy bits with a firm layer of crunch.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br><BR>[THIS REVIEW WAS EDITED]<BR>

Disclaimer: I do not know anyone at Final Redoubt Press except for their occasional post on the Iron Crown Forums and the occasional personal email I have received in answer to a question or about a product. Final Redoubt Press has released its third installment; The Lost Kingdome of the Dwarves sourcebook and On Corrupt Ground an accompanying adventure for the Echoes of Heaven Campaign Setting. This installment is just like the first two products in that it provides a setting book and linked adventure. The adventure can be used as part of the ongoing series or can be played as a one shot adventure. The Lost Kingdome sourcebook can be used in any home brewed game world with a few modifications. They both are well worth the buyer?s money and a game masters time. The Lost Kingdom of the Dwarves is broken up into four sections, Dwarves, Orc?s, The Land and Game System Rules. The Dwarf and Orc sections talk about each races sociology, traditions, their involvement in Echoes of Heaven secret organizations, wealth and military aspects. One thing that is different from your everyday RPG is that Orcs are corrupted Dwarves. I will leave it to the setting book to tell you exactly how this happens and its game world ramifications. We all know Dwarven player characters are going to be sweating the fact that they might be corrupted by something and change into an Orc. The Land section deals with the topography, travel and climate of the Lost Kingdom. All very important subjects for the game master. The last section is specific to which version of the product you bought and it will be a D20, Harp, Rolemaster, Hero or an Open Gaming version and provide game information for your system. For example the Rolemaster version had a Dwarven Rune Priest profession, Dwarven Rune casting rules, Orc Shaman rules and two training packages. On Corrupt Ground continues Final Redoubt Press?s adventure series set in the Echoes of Heaven Campaign setting. The adventure is set for around four player characters of at least 9th level and can be scaled to more player characters or higher levels as necessary. I would not recommend the adventure if you have fewer than three player characters or if they are drastically lower than 9th level as there are encounters that can overwhelm a lower level party. The scope of the adventure is fairly epic in nature and has far reaching global game world consequences. All in all I greatly enjoyed The Lost Kingdome of the Dwarves and the adventure On Corrupt Ground and it is an important sourcebook for the Echoes of Heaven Campaign Setting. The strength of the product lies in its ability to be adaptable to almost any system, which is evident by the four different release versions. In the first two products I was very impressed by the scope of the material and its presentation, but I did not get that impression in this installment. Also after reading the sourcebook I felt like their should have been more material presented in various areas, more specific rules and rulings for Rolemaster and the book a rushed feel to me. Do not get me wrong as I feel the material is important to the Echoes of Heaven setting but the material just did not live up to the standards that the first two products set. If I had to grade the Kingdome of the Dwarves it would get a C+ or a B- but the first two in the series would get an A- to an A. Mark D Carlson <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: 1)It provided needed information to the GM of The Echoes of Heaven Campain Setting. 2 Worth the money and time spent. 3)Came out on time, as per the release date. 4)Published by a small company but not small on quality or scope.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: 1)Product seamed rushed. 2)I think their should have been more information as per my review above.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

Very useful information about dwarven culture and orcish culture.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The detailed description of dwarven life and society. There's a lot of nice things that could be used for any dwarves in any campaign setting. The history and situation of Uzarag are quite unique to make it to something more than just another fallen dwarven kingdom.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: There could have been more information about orcs. Theres quite a bit but I would have liked more of it.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

I have to admit when I first heard about this book I was a little afraid of what it might contain. A small part of me feared it would be filled with elements which would make readers think of Middle Earth, but Robert J. Defendi once again proves, at least to me, that he is very good at what he does, which is to come up with concepts are unique and fascinating. Normally I am not a fan of the Dwarven race but after reading this book it actually made me want to try and play one.

As the title of the book says, the book deals with what was once the most powerful Dwarven nation in the Echoes of Heaven setting, which fell to one of the great Fields who haunts the world. But not only that, it also deals with the people who were exiled from that area as well as the new inhabitants.

The first thing you see when you have the product in your hands is the cover. It is very well done and fitting the contents of the book nicely. It is depicting a dark armored figure standing guard or surveying a set of mountains, which makes you wonder after you have read the book if it is an orc or their master. As for the rest of the art throughout the book, it is also well done, either mood setting or depicting important NPCs, a good thing in my opinion and not to forgot maps included, both overview but also map tiles, which are very handy and nice touch.

After the introduction part the book kicks off with a description of the Dwarves of the Echoes of Heaven setting. Even though they no longer the region the book deals with and they by no means only inhabited that part of the world, it is still a very good description of Dwarven life, traditions and structure, suitable for the entire race of the setting as well as background history to back it up. The character gallery also helps depicting the new life of the exiles with added adventure ideas in the mix.

Next up is a description of the new inhabitants of the region, namely the Orcs. This is done in a way I have never read before and done well enough to make it possible to play as an orc in the area. The description is done the same way as the Dwarves but sadly I seem to think something is missing. Defendi seems to be holding back a bit on Orcish religion and the ways the cults are run within the Orcish lands. Also some more information about the Master of the realm could have been a nice thing. Other than that, all in all a very good description.

The following section is about the region in general and the hazards encountered there. Since the lands has turned into a portion of hell on earth, things are not all what they are expected to be. Defendi has here come up with some unique aspects which will bother intruders but are also memorable. This section goes hand in hand with the next section which describes who to use the land in gameplay. Instead of a detailed description Defendi has devised a method to help randomize the encounters, a very handy tool for inexperienced GMs and for on-the-fly encounters. The chapters end with a more deep description of the individual region and adventure seeds for that region, which pretty much is done the same way as in other books for the setting, but is still a helpful concept.

Ending the book is the Index but before that is the rules section, which contains rules for the ways Dwarven Priests cast magic as well as a new profession and a few training package for dwarves. Sadly here I feel once again there could have been something for the orc in us all, but there isn?ft.

All in all this is a very good book both very useful for the Echoes of Heaven setting, but can definitely be used in other worlds as well, with little adjustments. The descriptions are done in a new that sets the fallen Dwarven nation aside from all others and offers enough to be able to play both sides of the conflict, though I feel as mentioned there could be more about the Orcs.

If you play in Echoes of Heaven this book is a must, though it is also highly useful for other settings. So a very good read all in all.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: There was little I didnt like, but especially the good descriptions of Dwarven and Orcish sociaty, MAPS and adventure ideas.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: If I have to mention something then it would be the feeling of missing some crucial information and rules especially made for and about the Orcs. A little more about the Warlord would also have been nice.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

The second installment in the Echoes of Heaven line is The Last Free City. Felric?s Redoubt is a melting pot of humans, elves and dwarves coupled with various human cultures from across Belkanath. But with all large cities you also have a dark underside just beneath the surface.

You are given a brief history of the city that also includes several adventure seeds and world threads (an aspect of the other products from Final Redoubt I like very much). From there a detail of the city itself with various NPCs, organizations (the Campaign Setting is needed for the initial descriptions of these), churches, governmental bodies, the military and how they all react within Feldric?s Redoubt. Again Seeds and Threads are sprinkled about along with notes about the attached module Festering Earth.

Overall the book is well written and I second the opinion on the author?s expertise with Campaign Cartographer. The map of the city and surrounding area is quite detailed. Enough detail is included to give a good backdrop but not too much to make it read like an encyclopedia.

The accompanying module Festering Earth is a little different than other publications. It is a murder mystery yet the results of which can lead to complete catastrophe with world affecting changes. The crimes are well described both in what the party originally sees, what really happened and how that fits into the greater scheme of things. My group can be really dense at times so it may take some tap dancing to keep them on track. One caveat is that if the party fails, basically they all die when Felric?s becomes an Ulcer and generally really bad things happen in all of Belkanath. As such you might want to have some contingency plans just in case. However the scene descriptions and dramatic purposes give a good idea as to how things should be progressing and if you need some GM intervention to prevent this.

One thing I did is that Throne of God is for 3rd level characters, Festering Earth for 6th and the next installment seems to be 9th. Simply put there isn?t enough exp. in these modules to be running them concurrently so you will need some fillers. There are however numerous adventure threads listed that could be used.

Also - one of the NPC's is a paladin. This class does not exist in the base HARP book but is in the Harper's Bazaar Annual from ICE. It really isn't necessary and the NPC could be replaced by a combat oriented cleric without affecting gameplay.

Overall though I found the style and quality of these products is excellent. You are given a lot of info along with an intriguing adventure. I eagerly await the next one. <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Format and style of writing. Easily readable with good content.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

The Echoes of Heaven is one of the best deals you will find in PDF gaming. Each product comes with a campaign sourcebook, a module, and detailed supporting Campaign Cartographer maps. Also, each product can be purchased in one of four versions (HARP, Rolemaster, HERO, and D20) so you can play in your favorite game system. (I am writing one review for the product but posting it under all 4 versions)

This is the second installment in the series which is supposed to run 10 products with each one continuing the story to create a campaign that takes your characters from 1st to 20th level (30th level for HARP and RM; 300 points for HERO) . If you haven't bought Product 1 (The Throne of God) I highly recommend that you purchase that first. If the campaign milieu appeals to you then you will be back for Product 2.

The campaign sourcebook in this product details the greatest city-state in the campaign world, Felric?s Redoubt. It begins with a history of the city and then continues with descriptions of the people and the culture within the city. Like most sourcebooks, there are descriptions of important organizations and people, the government, the military and the economy. These sections are well-written and provide a general description of the city-state.

The following section details the different areas. The author has given population statistics to include not only a listing of the major NPCs, but also a count of every generic figure in the area (e.g. bankers, merchants, priests). Also included are maps that have color-coded buildings to tell what type of business takes place there. The author is obviously proficient with Campaign Cartographer and loves to detail every inch of his city (though I not sure how he did so without going blind).

The last section of the sourcebook gives an overview of how the city relates to the surrounding area and to the religions of the world. It ends with an index.

The strong points of this product are the same things that made the first product great. It is well-written and the author obviously has a detailed vision of his setting. The text is interspersed with what the author calls world threads and adventure seeds. The world threads give you an idea of what is a major theme within the world that may be detailed later. The adventure seeds give ideas on possible scenarios for those GMs with the time and imagination to take the setting and develop their own modules. There are several of these within the sourcebook.

The Festering Earth is the module included with this product. It is a murder mystery in the city of Felric?s Redoubt that is documented in the sourcebook. Like many modules The Festering Earth has encounter summaries with the stats for the encounters and parts in boxes that are to be read aloud to the players. Since it is a murder mystery the encounters are more loosely connected that your average dungeon crawl. I think there are 2 things that make the Echoes of Heaven modules standout:

First is the inclusion of paragraphs entitled ?Dramatic Purpose?. The author gives a description of why the encounter is even included and what the players should learn from it. I think in this way the module doesn?t just feel like a series of encounters strung together just to get the players some XP. It also gives the GM an idea of what the author was thinking when he wrote so the GM can determine what value it has for his/her specific players. Having that knowledge allows the GM to tailor the encounter to his/her players, if necessary, to make sure that the players get what they should out of the encounter.

Second is that the author gives advice on how to keep the adventure on track without removing the free will of the players. He has an understanding that the players don?t want to be led around by the nose but that there is a story arc to the module. Thus, he often covers a few scenarios of how the encounter can go bad and how the GM can put it back on track without making the story feel contrived.

As I noted in the opening paragraph, I think that this product is a fantastic purchase. If you are looking for a good vs. evil fantasy campaign the Echoes of Heaven series is the way to go.

<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The in-depth story.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Some of the filler art repeats, though the art overall is good.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

The Echoes of Heaven is one of the best deals you will find in PDF gaming. Each product comes with a campaign sourcebook, a module, and detailed supporting Campaign Cartographer maps. Also, each product can be purchased in one of four versions (HARP, Rolemaster, HERO, and D20) so you can play in your favorite game system. (I am writing one review for the product but posting it under all 4 versions)

This is the second installment in the series which is supposed to run 10 products with each one continuing the story to create a campaign that takes your characters from 1st to 20th level (30th level for HARP and RM; 300 points for HERO) . If you haven't bought Product 1 (The Throne of God) I highly recommend that you purchase that first. If the campaign milieu appeals to you then you will be back for Product 2.

The campaign sourcebook in this product details the greatest city-state in the campaign world, Felric?s Redoubt. It begins with a history of the city and then continues with descriptions of the people and the culture within the city. Like most sourcebooks, there are descriptions of important organizations and people, the government, the military and the economy. These sections are well-written and provide a general description of the city-state.

The following section details the different areas. The author has given population statistics to include not only a listing of the major NPCs, but also a count of every generic figure in the area (e.g. bankers, merchants, priests). Also included are maps that have color-coded buildings to tell what type of business takes place there. The author is obviously proficient with Campaign Cartographer and loves to detail every inch of his city (though I not sure how he did so without going blind).

The last section of the sourcebook gives an overview of how the city relates to the surrounding area and to the religions of the world. It ends with an index.

The strong points of this product are the same things that made the first product great. It is well-written and the author obviously has a detailed vision of his setting. The text is interspersed with what the author calls world threads and adventure seeds. The world threads give you an idea of what is a major theme within the world that may be detailed later. The adventure seeds give ideas on possible scenarios for those GMs with the time and imagination to take the setting and develop their own modules. There are several of these within the sourcebook.

The Festering Earth is the module included with this product. It is a murder mystery in the city of Felric?s Redoubt that is documented in the sourcebook. Like many modules The Festering Earth has encounter summaries with the stats for the encounters and parts in boxes that are to be read aloud to the players. Since it is a murder mystery the encounters are more loosely connected that your average dungeon crawl. I think there are 2 things that make the Echoes of Heaven modules standout:

First is the inclusion of paragraphs entitled ?Dramatic Purpose?. The author gives a description of why the encounter is even included and what the players should learn from it. I think in this way the module doesn?t just feel like a series of encounters strung together just to get the players some XP. It also gives the GM an idea of what the author was thinking when he wrote so the GM can determine what value it has for his/her specific players. Having that knowledge allows the GM to tailor the encounter to his/her players, if necessary, to make sure that the players get what they should out of the encounter.

Second is that the author gives advice on how to keep the adventure on track without removing the free will of the players. He has an understanding that the players don?t want to be led around by the nose but that there is a story arc to the module. Thus, he often covers a few scenarios of how the encounter can go bad and how the GM can put it back on track without making the story feel contrived.

As I noted in the opening paragraph, I think that this product is a fantastic purchase. If you are looking for a good vs. evil fantasy campaign the Echoes of Heaven series is the way to go.

<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The in-depth story.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Some of the filler art is used more than once, but the art overall is good.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

The Echoes of Heaven is one of the best deals you will find in PDF gaming. Each product comes with a campaign sourcebook, a module, and detailed supporting Campaign Cartographer maps. Also, each product can be purchased in one of four versions (HARP, Rolemaster, HERO, and D20) so you can play in your favorite game system. (I am writing one review for the product but posting it under all 4 versions)

This is the second installment in the series which is supposed to run 10 products with each one continuing the story to create a campaign that takes your characters from 1st to 20th level (30th level for HARP and RM; 300 points for HERO) . If you haven't bought Product 1 (The Throne of God) I highly recommend that you purchase that first. If the campaign milieu appeals to you then you will be back for Product 2.

The campaign sourcebook in this product details the greatest city-state in the campaign world, Felric?s Redoubt. It begins with a history of the city and then continues with descriptions of the people and the culture within the city. Like most sourcebooks, there are descriptions of important organizations and people, the government, the military and the economy. These sections are well-written and provide a general description of the city-state.

The following section details the different areas. The author has given population statistics to include not only a listing of the major NPCs, but also a count of every generic figure in the area (e.g. bankers, merchants, priests). Also included are maps that have color-coded buildings to tell what type of business takes place there. The author is obviously proficient with Campaign Cartographer and loves to detail every inch of his city (though I not sure how he did so without going blind).

The last section of the sourcebook gives an overview of how the city relates to the surrounding area and to the religions of the world. It ends with an index.

The strong points of this product are the same things that made the first product great. It is well-written and the author obviously has a detailed vision of his setting. The text is interspersed with what the author calls world threads and adventure seeds. The world threads give you an idea of what is a major theme within the world that may be detailed later. The adventure seeds give ideas on possible scenarios for those GMs with the time and imagination to take the setting and develop their own modules. There are several of these within the sourcebook.

The Festering Earth is the module included with this product. It is a murder mystery in the city of Felric?s Redoubt that is documented in the sourcebook. Like many modules The Festering Earth has encounter summaries with the stats for the encounters and parts in boxes that are to be read aloud to the players. Since it is a murder mystery the encounters are more loosely connected that your average dungeon crawl. I think there are 2 things that make the Echoes of Heaven modules standout:

First is the inclusion of paragraphs entitled ?Dramatic Purpose?. The author gives a description of why the encounter is even included and what the players should learn from it. I think in this way the module doesn?t just feel like a series of encounters strung together just to get the players some XP. It also gives the GM an idea of what the author was thinking when he wrote so the GM can determine what value it has for his/her specific players. Having that knowledge allows the GM to tailor the encounter to his/her players, if necessary, to make sure that the players get what they should out of the encounter.

Second is that the author gives advice on how to keep the adventure on track without removing the free will of the players. He has an understanding that the players don?t want to be led around by the nose but that there is a story arc to the module. Thus, he often covers a few scenarios of how the encounter can go bad and how the GM can put it back on track without making the story feel contrived.

As I noted in the opening paragraph, I think that this product is a fantastic purchase. If you are looking for a good vs. evil fantasy campaign the Echoes of Heaven series is the way to go.

<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: I enjoy the depth that the author gives to the setting. There is certainly alot that is going on in his world. Also, I like the layout of the material.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Some of the filler art repeats, the art overall is done well.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

The Echoes of Heaven is one of the best deals you will find in PDF gaming. Each product comes with a campaign sourcebook, a module, and detailed supporting Campaign Cartographer maps. Also, each product can be purchased in one of four versions (HARP, Rolemaster, HERO, and D20) so you can play in your favorite game system. (I am writing one review for the product but posting it under all 4 versions)

This is the second installment in the series which is supposed to run 10 products with each one continuing the story to create a campaign that takes your characters from 1st to 20th level (30th level for HARP and RM; 300 points for HERO) . If you haven't bought Product 1 (The Throne of God) I highly recommend that you purchase that first. If the campaign milieu appeals to you then you will be back for Product 2.

The campaign sourcebook in this product details the greatest city-state in the campaign world, Felric?s Redoubt. It begins with a history of the city and then continues with descriptions of the people and the culture within the city. Like most sourcebooks, there are descriptions of important organizations and people, the government, the military and the economy. These sections are well-written and provide a general description of the city-state.

The following section details the different areas. The author has given population statistics to include not only a listing of the major NPCs, but also a count of every generic figure in the area (e.g. bankers, merchants, priests). Also included are maps that have color-coded buildings to tell what type of business takes place there. The author is obviously proficient with Campaign Cartographer and loves to detail every inch of his city (though I not sure how he did so without going blind).

The last section of the sourcebook gives an overview of how the city relates to the surrounding area and to the religions of the world. It ends with an index.

The strong points of this product are the same things that made the first product great. It is well-written and the author obviously has a detailed vision of his setting. The text is interspersed with what the author calls world threads and adventure seeds. The world threads give you an idea of what is a major theme within the world that may be detailed later. The adventure seeds give ideas on possible scenarios for those GMs with the time and imagination to take the setting and develop their own modules. There are several of these within the sourcebook.

The Festering Earth is the module included with this product. It is a murder mystery in the city of Felric?s Redoubt that is documented in the sourcebook. Like many modules The Festering Earth has encounter summaries with the stats for the encounters and parts in boxes that are to be read aloud to the players. Since it is a murder mystery the encounters are more loosely connected that your average dungeon crawl. I think there are 2 things that make the Echoes of Heaven modules standout:

First is the inclusion of paragraphs entitled ?Dramatic Purpose?. The author gives a description of why the encounter is even included and what the players should learn from it. I think in this way the module doesn?t just feel like a series of encounters strung together just to get the players some XP. It also gives the GM an idea of what the author was thinking when he wrote so the GM can determine what value it has for his/her specific players. Having that knowledge allows the GM to tailor the encounter to his/her players, if necessary, to make sure that the players get what they should out of the encounter.

Second is that the author gives advice on how to keep the adventure on track without removing the free will of the players. He has an understanding that the players don?t want to be led around by the nose but that there is a story arc to the module. Thus, he often covers a few scenarios of how the encounter can go bad and how the GM can put it back on track without making the story feel contrived.

As I noted in the opening paragraph, I think that this product is a fantastic purchase. If you are looking for a good vs. evil fantasy campaign the Echoes of Heaven series is the way to go. <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The in-depth story.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Some of the filler art repeats, though overall the art is good.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>