|
|
 |
Other comments left by this customer: |
|
|
 |
|
In a nice low=level adventure, the party is asked to retrieve a magical item that has been stolen by bandits and which is believed to be behind a drought troubling a region that is already semi-desert. The background for the DM explains what is going on and a few hooks are provided to get the party involved, mostly - as is appropriate for the level - an offer of reward to find out what is going on and put things right. It's suggested that if nobody in the party can track, an NPC tracker be available to help them find the main site of the action.
Basically, once the party have done whatever research they like about the bandits (or the magic item, not that much is known about that, its owner was on the way to consult with a local sage when the bandits attacked) they need to travel deep into the desert to find the bandit lair. Here's an opportunity for a bit of sun, sand and suffering for the party. They'll need to make sure that they take adequate supplies and take precautions against the heat... and of course, some random encounters are provided to keep them entertained along the way. Once they arrive at their destination, there's a neat little delve with some varied and quite intelligent (or at least well-organised) defenders and a bandit chief who is quite cunning and thinks about what he is doing - although he is of the 'fight or flight' variety, unlikely to try negotiations with the party. A few thoughts for follow-up adventures are mentioned, but this is basically something to accomplish and then move on. A neat little adventure.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Here's a bit of a delight: an adventure where there isn't a Bad Guy to defeat, rather there are two contending forces, neither of which is particularly good or particularly bad... and the party will have to decide which, if any, they are willing to help!
The background notes for the DM explain everything - it's a territorial dispute over an area that includes a wizard's tomb, with one lot wanting to turn the tomb into a base and t'other lot not being interested in the tomb at all, they're after a mineral nearby. But they won't talk, let alone share. A nearby town is holding a festival, which is assumed to be what gets the party into the area (although ther are other hooks if your lot aren't great festival-goers), and the module sets out to provide you with all the resources you need to let the party loose in the area and moderate whatever they decide to do... a neat way of handling a very 'open' plot.
These resources include notes on the town and the festival, which as well as the usual elements of a mediaeval fair includes an Arcane Challenge with a series of events for spell-slingers to test their prowess against each other. Naturally, a party wizard or sorcerer might like to try his hand... and others may be more interested in archery or fencing contests or even a cooking competition! Several NPC spellcasters are provided as opposition, along with notes on how they intend to address the challenges of the contest. If nobody from the party joins in, it can still make for an entertaining spectacle.
Just to add to the fun, there's another group of adventurers there, who are concerned by some encroaching stone giants and are trying to stir the town up to do something about them, and there is also a nasty disease spreading through the region. And, of course, there is the dispute that is at the heart of the plot. Everyone involved is detailed, along with what they are likely to do, how they will react to any interference, and what they are likely to be willing to negotiate about.
Finally, there's the wizard's tomb itself. This is mapped out (using a map from the Map-a-Week series on the Wizards of the Coast website, reproduced here although the original link still works at the time of writing) and is full of interesting things... and traps to guard them. Plenty of fun for those looking for a more traditional delve.
Ending with some notes on the consequences of some of the more likely party actions, this is a real gem of an adventure, with a lot packed into 11 pages!
|
|
|
|
 |
|
PDF screens are always a bit odd: what do you do with them? Do you print them out and stick them on card? The 'GM-side' tables often provide a useful summary of the rules you might need to refer to during play, so you might want to print those out, but the 'player-side' - usually graphics-intense pictures - can prove a bit more problematic, it's a lot of printer ink for little enhancement to your game.
This screen is pretty much what one would expect. The three panels of player-side art is top notch, Onyx Path are good at that... there's a selection of decadant-looking, langorous vampires lounging around gazing out at you looking as if they are in two minds whether to bite you or seduce you... pretty much encapsulates Vampire: The Masquerade vampires, really. It is dark, it will use up your ink, but if you enjoy the art then you might well want to print this out and either actually make a physical screen or just decorate your gaming room with them.
As for the 'Storyteller-side', the tables are clear and well laid out if a little eclectic in choice. Health levels, combat summaries, generic difficulties, combat manoeuvre charts... yes, these you can and will use. Probably quite often, at least until they all become second nature. But generation traits, the changes due to which generation a vampire is, that's not something you often need mid-game. Or bearing? Somehow linked to the vampire's humanity or lack thereof, but it ought to be filed away with your description of that vampire rather than something you need to check on mid-game.
A print-on-demand version would have been a welcome addition for those who do like physical screens. As it is, at only a couple of dollars it's probably worth taking a look to see if you do want it.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Opening with some evocative fiction that sets the scene, this book is about those mortals who have realised that vampires actually exist and have decided to do something about them: the Hunters. The Introduction expands on this, explaining that whilst vampires are predators, there are also those who prey on them... and that 'vampire hunters' are one of the few things that actually scares a vampire. They hunt for various reasons and use a variety of methods, but they all have the same purpose: to rid the world of these evil creatures.
Hunters are generally driven by hate. They often don't know that much about vampires, and what they do know is a mix of fact and fantasy. After all, it's not a topic of respectable study, it's even hard to find anyone who will agree that yes, the monsters are real. The main themes here are personal horror and sacrifice, and the mood is one of desperate determination. Vampire hunters often do not last long, even if they escape the nearest lunatic asylum and public ridicule for their beliefs. There are two ways you can use this book: either you run a game based around a party of vampire hunters or you use the material herein to create potent adversaries for your coterie.
Chapter 1: Alone in the Night looks at how people come to be hunters in the first place. Delivered as a monologue that at times seems deranged, it's a good rundown of why people become vampire hunters, what motivates them and what they actually do. Many start curious, just wanting to know more, but nearly all end up wanting to destroy the vampire menace. There's a lot of ideas for how to combat vampires and their special abilities too, as well as the warning that using most of those ideas will likely attrack police attention, and the average cop will not be impressed when you start going on about vampires... There is also material about working as a group of hunters rather than a solo vigilante.
Then Chapter 2: Character Creation and Traits shows you how to generate hunter characters (whether you want to play them or use them as well-detailed adversaries). It starts will getting the group together (players, I mean) and deciding what sort of game you want. This will help the Storyteller build the right sort of chronicle and the players create appropriate hunter characters. Of course, the process works as well for a Storyteller who wants to use hunters as major antagonists in a conventional Vampire game, but then it will be a more solitary thing.
Next, Chapter 3: Tools and Tactics expands on the ideas already expressed and provides a wealth of new ones. It is also replete with story hooks and suggestions that spawn plots of their own accord as you read. There's also some notes on how to plan and run a hunter operation (as hunters, that is) - along with rules suggestions on how to judge its efficacy in a way that makes it exciting to all participants. Then Chapter 4: Numina gives hunters that extra edge, assorted mystical powers some of them can tap into to help them in their fight. There's hedge magic, divine powers, healing, psychic powers and more.
Chapter 5: Storytelling goes behind the scenes with masses of good advice for Storytellers, particularly those who want to run a chronicle based on vampire hunters. It looks at what is different about a Vampire game run from that angle, and what is still the same as in a regular game. It explores the themes and moods you might want to use, and how to construct a chronicle from a bunch of misfits getting together to... well, whatever climactic battle ends your chronicle. You may be after action/adventure, mystery, horror, survival, investigation... or probably a bit of a mix. There are plenty of ideas here to help you. It's well worth a read, and ideas spawn as you do so, never mind the actual hooks and story seeds liberally scattered throughout.
Next, Chapter 6: Organisations and Resources provides some organisations that hunt vampires. Your hunters may join them, work with them or even come into conflict with them. Many have specialised tools, techniques and contacts which members can use to effect. Everyone from the Catholic Church to the US Government and organised crime seem to be getting in on the act, so there's plenty of scope to twist your game in whatever direction you fancy. Loads of examples and ideas here...
Finally, an Appendix presents Sample Characters. Perhaps you cannot wait to run your game, or you want a few hunters to throw at your vampires... or maybe you just want some examples of what can be done.
This puts a whole delightful spin on a Vampire game, and fills your head with ideas, whether you want to hunt a few vampires or threaten the ones you've got with something other that vampire intriques and power struggles. Well worth a read.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
This adventure makes a good beginning to a campaign - indeed I've used it that way, with a party who were missionaries for Kord tasked with departing from Seawell, the port that is central to the adventure, to head elsewhere on their mission. Only they had to deal with the situation here first...
The situation is simple: no ships have arrived in Seawell for the past few weeks... and as the place is normally quite a busy port this is a matter of some concern to the locals. The background for the DM explains what has been going on, and a few hooks have been provided to get the party to Seawell - unless, like me, you have something else in mind. The adventure itself starts when the party arrive in Seawell.
To resolve the situation, the party is going to have to slog through a nearby swamp - complete, of course, with the wildlife you'd expect to find there - or take a boat trip to a nearby lighthouse. That's if they can find a boat, of course, and someone willing to take them. There are encounters along the way and both the lighthouse and a pirate camp to explore. By the time all that has done, the party should have discovered what is going on, and be in a position to deal with it.
There are suggestions for follow-up activities, mostly based on the party staying in the port, or - as my lot did - they can get on with other business. It makes a good opening (or early) adventure for a campaign and is nicely constructed with a variety of challenges... and it has pirates!
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Times of strife or turmoil or civil unrest are perfect for vampires: when people are dying or even better disappearing in great numbers it becomes very easy to cover their tracks. Some say that throughout history vampires have even brought about trouble, they've certainly taken advantage of it. Many vampires who were themselves Embraced in such times find them to their liking and will seek them out or even cause them in nights to come. In this book we meet several such, fully detailed with stat blocks, background information and more. Perhaps what they are getting up to will have an effect on your coterie or the chronicle you are running, or at least reading about them may spawn your own ideas.
Each clan's approach is discussed. For some, like the Assamites, civil unrest or outright war is an absolute gift - there's always work for assassins! Giovanni look for opportunities to acquire stuff whilst its owners are distracted, or have been slain or displaced. And so on. Their approach also informs who a typical member of that clan will Embrace during the turmoil and how they will go about it. This makes for fascinating reading, and can guide you in developing clan-based plots whenever there is some turmoil that can be taken advantage of within your game.
And then we come to the vampires themselves. Richly detailed with everything from their personal appearance to their backstory and game statistics, you can have them pop up as suits your chronicle... or even build events around one of them as they stir up trouble to their own advantage. Will your coterie try to hinder them or will they latch on to whatever's happening as suits their own best interests? Many of these vampires have been around quite a while, and their stories make interesting reading. Many retain habits and mannerisms of a bygone age, perhaps finding it hard to adapt to modern life. Each also has a full-page illustration that seeks to capture their personality on the page.
Role-playing hints are provided for each one, this is a book to be used, with vivid NPC vampires to make your nights more colourful. But it goes far beyond a clutch of interesting and well-detailed NPCs. Each gives a glimpse into a much wider picture of vampire society and other aspects of the World of Darkness that you can incorporate into your chronicles as background setting, or weave entire plotlines around. Much of it is complex and intrigue-ridden (much like vampire society itself) and makes for fascinating reading whatever use you intend to make of them in your game. Perhaps a book for the completist, but if your interests and style turn to the convoluted intrigues and machinations so beloved of vampires, this is a real treat.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
This work opens with a discussion of suitable placement for the adventure: basically, anywhere there is a formal 'court' type environment, be it a royal court or a gathering of wealthy merchants or the like. There are detailed suggestions for likely places in the Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms settings, or of course you can pick an equivalent in your own campaign world.
Next, the adventure background sets the scene. It's all about intrigue, of course, but don't just move on if your group doesn't care for such things, there is a clear threat that's going to take swords and spells to defeat. Indeed, the party will probably do better if they are not courtier material! There are quite a few NPCs for you to get your head around, though, so a modicum of preparation is recommeded to run this.
Several hooks are provided to get the party involved, at least one being devious in the extreme! All involve the need to find out why some courtiers have vanished inexplicably. Once enticed in, there are several encounters that take place at the court itself which hopefully lead the party to identify who is behind the shenanigans, even if they don't pick up on his true nature. An unexplained death, a sudden change of opinion, a surprise appointment, even a heated argument... and then things start to get physical with a couple more encounters, one in court and one outside, when the party will have to defend themselves.
By now the party should have a pretty good idea of who is behind the unfortunate events, although there are suggestions as to how to handle parties who aren't quite so discerning, and the second part of the adventure takes them to that individual's manor house where they will find much more than they have bargained for - even if they are already suspicious of his nature as well as of his actions! - once they have got themselves safely through the surrounding forest to the establishment itself.
Now if the instigator manages to get away (and the tactics notes for him provide plenty of ways for him to try to escape as well as suggesting that's his preferred action), he will make a magnificent recurring villain... and one who will have it in for the party. If the party deal with him permanently, they will have friends at court - which can be a boon or a curse depending on whether they like being given dangerous and sometimes diplomatic missions! Definitely recommended, for a skilful mix of intrigue and violence that should keep most parties happy!
|
|
|
|
 |
|
The Introduction opens with a glowing recommendation for the 'open development' style of writing game books, where developers, writers and players kick ideas around in discussion forums as the book is written. This book was created in such a style, it's testimony to its effectiveness. Many 'companion' books consist of material that had to be cut from the core rulebook to keep the beast to a manageable size, but from the outset that was not the intent with the V20 Companion. Instead it presents options and setting information, and a fair bit more.
Chapter 1: Titles deals with social structure and titles of honour and position used in vampire society - given that vampires tend to be a proud and acquisative bunch who will grab any opportunity to lord it over others, you can guess that they are very fond of titles. It all goes back to mediaeval days (or before) and those ancient vampires who remember those days feel right at home... more modern vampires can find it all quite stultifying and frustrating (especially, of course, when they are at the bottom of the heap!). Yet titles imply order and rules and without them there would be chaos - herding vampires being a bit like herding cats. This chapter is deliberately rules-light due to player feedback during the development process, but there is sufficient structure to help you work it all out to good effect. Titles are generally conferred by a more senior vampire, but there are options to handle them like backgrounds and spend experience points to gain them or use them as status benefits. It's best if there are story reasons for that shiny new title however the character actually acquired it, though! Many titles carry duties and responsibilities, which can make for some interesting plot lines. There's a survey of the different titles to be found in various sects and more, a towering and confusing array made mostly clear... and yes, even Anarchs have titles.
Next, Chapter 2: Prestation discusses the whole process of trading, repaying, and incurring favours - the very essence of vampire interactions. Everyone does favours and owes them in a dizzying web that's in part based on trust (between vampires?) that favours will ultimately be repaid. Reneging on a favour owed is a quick way to get into deep trouble real fast, yet sometimes impossible conflicts arise: what if someone you owe a life debt to is declared target of a Blood Hunt? You aren't excused from the Hunt, but it is also very bad form to ignore the fact you owe him a life. Oathbreakers are the worst of low-unlives, so to speak. Moreover, favours can be traded, just as commercial debts are sold on in the real world - so a vampire may find himself owing a favour not to the person who did him one but someone else entirely. It's all part of the mad, intense, social status games vampires play all the time. Fascinating, and replete with plot potential.
In Chapter 3: Kindred and Technology we get to look at how vampires, who have often been around quite a while, cope with the march of modern technology. Consider how much technology has changed since Vampire: The Masquerade appeared in 1991... you carry more computing power in your pocket than an Apollo spacecraft, and my job as an e-learning specialist hadn't even been dreamed of! It was so much easier to conceal being a vampire without social media or international travel and many other things we take for granted. A wealth of ideas and concepts are discussed here, all with an eye to enhancing the story you're telling, of course.
Finally, Chapter 4: A World of Darkness takes a look at several notable locations that have significance for vampires. Scattered around the world, these may serve as background, places worthy of a passing visit or become central to your chronicle.
And then there's an Appendix: Director's Cut. This contains material dropped from the V20 Companion during the development process and is provided partly as an interesting footnote and partly because some people might like to use it, even if the majority opinion was set against.
Overall, a wealth of fascinating, if a bit disparate, material to dip into and use to enhance your game as you see fit.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
This is an adventure for Vampire: The Masquerade V20 concerning the city of Gary, Indiana, a city which is in decline for reasons unspecified... and not wholly to do with vampires! It's deeply political, but is interesting that the party has the choice as to how much - even if - they get involved. Whilst they are assumed to be neonates, they ought to have at least some autonomy from their respective sires (although if they are in part acting as someone's agents that always adds to the fun!).
The Introduction includes details of how the Storyteller Adventure System works, for those new to it and explains how the PDF is set up with full hyperlinking to provide for ease of use. It also provides a comprehensive background to the plot and introduces some of the key players - vampires, mortals and others. Themes are recovery and progress, but the mood is bleak, due to the state of Gary itself. Unlike many adventures it is quite open-ended, in some ways more a 'setting' than an actual scenario, and - if the party decides to get really involved - could provide the basis for an entire chronicle. However all you really need is to come up with some reason for them to be in, or passing through, Gary. For that matter, they may not even be a party yet - if you are starting from scratch with new characters, their meeting and forming a cotorie might be an integral part of the game.
Scene set, we move on to the events themselves. It's not the sort of adventure which progresses neatly from event to event, rather there are a series of events which can occur within the setting and with the detailed NPCs provided - an excellent 'sandbox' adventure, but one which of necessity requires good planning and perhaps improvisation from the Storyteller.
The first event, Welcome to Gary, sets the scene for the whole adventure, concentrating on the thin pickings there are for a hungry vampire in the city, and giving them the chance to encounter some of the major players - for here even elders have to hunt in alleys like the meanest neonate!
Scene follows scene quite quickly. In each there's descriptive material to help you put across the picture, notes on which NPCs are around and what they are doing, and outlines of what could take place and how to moderate them. Certainly prior preparation is essential for this all to run smoothly whatever the characters decide to do. Each scene is rated as to whether its focus is social, physical or mental and there's a good selection so no matter what individual characters prefer they will get their chance to shire.
Possibly the most delightful scene involves a 'zombie walk', an event where ordinary mortals have been invited to dress up as zombies... it's not hard to think of ways in which a bunch of vampires could have fun at such an event. By the end, the characters should have changed the balance of power in Gary - for good or ill, who knows. It's open-ended enough that it could run and run, if they want to stay in Gary, or just be a sidenote in their reputations if they prefer to move on. It's intriguing, exciting... a fascinating spin on how vampires can affect, and be affected by, the world around them.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
When I reviewed Vampire: The Requiem 1e I wrote "If you played Vampire: The Masquerade forget everything you know about vampires!" Now, Vampire: The Masquerade was launched in 1991 and ran through three editions... and in 2004 Vampire: The Requiem came along, part of the New World of Darkness, and established itself as a popular game in its own right. But although both deal with vampires in a dark and twisted contemporary world, each game has a different vision of that world. The rules are a bit different too, but for many players, they have wanted to bring concepts across - a favourite clan or bloodline, perhaps - into the other game. This work seeks to make some of that possible, or at least to suggest ways of doing so for those players who are not happy with hacking systems for themselves.
The important guideline, however, is that the story is more important than the rules, and that whatever you do should enhance your game, make it more fun. They are two different game systems, and you may have to twist things a bit to elbow-wrestle a concept from one to the other. Don't be afraid, just dig a bit to work out what the intended effect of that concept is and then run with it. Maybe the biggest difference is that Vampire: The Masquerade is a stand-alone game in its own right and in Vampire: The Requiem we merely have the vampire source book for the New World of Darkness. Crossover games were possible - indeed my group mixed Vampire: The Masquerade vampires with Werewolf: The Apocalypse werebeasts with gay abandon - but you were mixing two separate games with the associated effort of twisting game mechanics into compatability.
There were conceptual differences too, and these are explored here, from the theological (just how did vampires come about anyway?) to how wide ranging the game is in scale, the tone of the game and whether or not there's an underlying metaplot going on.
Next, a look at Clans - something a vampire doesn't get to choose (although the player usually does) but other people, vampires or not, tend to make assumptions about a vampire based on their clan affiliation. The real difference between the games is that Vampire: The Masquerade clans are based around the creation myth, common to all, that vampires are all descended from Cain, cursed after killing his brother Abel, and that Cain had thirteen childer, hence thirteen clans. In Vampire: The Requiem each clan has its own creation myth, it's possible that vampires from different clans are actually subtly different kinds of monster, a form of convergent evolution. An analysis of all the clans from both games follows, with detailed notes on how to move them to the other game to best effect. This section ends with some comments on bloodlines, which are also dramatically different between the two games.
Then Sects and Covenants get the same treatment. In Vampire: The Masquerade there were but two sects (Camarilla and Sabbat) and they were at war, individual vampires identified themselves by their clan. In Vampire: The Requiem clan is less important, and vampires define themselves by the covenant they choose to join. Again, each group is gone through with an eye to using it in the other game.
Whilst both games have Disciplines, there too differ and there's some detailed analysis on how to tweak game mechanics to have the discipline you want within the game system you have chosen to play. Traits and Systems then get the same treatment.
Finally, Character Conversion. Never mind having your favourite clan or discipline available, what about that treasured vampire character? Here is a step by step process, or actually two processes, Masquerade to Requiem and Requiem to Masquerade. What would that character you know and love be like if you played the other system... here is your chance to find out, with the sample characters from the respective rulebooks used as examples.
This may be a rather nit-picking approach for some, but if you want the rules to work seamlessly and to best effect rather than just grabbing concepts and winging it, this book provides all the tools that you need.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Grabbing attention from the outset opening with a collection of fan (and fans-now-made-it-in-the-hobby) comments about what earlier versions of Vampire: The Masquerade means to them, this is a beast of a book, enticing and potentially destructive, capturing all the excitement and otherness of the original in a mature, elegant and yet still raw and visceral form. Once through this excitement, the 'meat' of the book comes in three sections: the Riddle, the Becoming and the Permutations.
First up, The Riddle. This looks at what the game actually is with an Introduction that charts the development of Vampire: The Masquerade from its beginnings in 1991, discussing the wierd yet effective mixture of urban alienation and tight-knit community of belonging that made this game such a landmark and success; and touching at some length on the pervasive nature of the LARP version too. Then there are some notes on vampires as they are seen in this game, which of the common 'facts' about vampires are true and which are not... These basics covered, Chapter 1: A World of Darkness looks in more detail at vampires (the kindred as they like to call themselves) and the world in which they have their unlife, and Chapter 2: Sects and Clans covers vampire society, the organisations that claim their loyalty. It all makes for fascinating reading, and established the environment in which the game is played with YOU as the vampires.
Next, The Becoming. This is the game mechanics bit, covering character creation and the options available in Chapter 3: Character and Traits, and Chapter 4: Disciplines. Then Chapter 5: Rules tells you what you can do with the character that you have created, and how to go about it, with Chapter 6: Systems and Drama providing extra detail on doing, well, everything to best effect. Then Chapter 7: Morality slams the brakes on, with what happens to the vampire's core essence, his soul if you like, as he goes about his unlife. Herein lies the angst, the alienation and the struggle to stay sane, perhaps even 'human' when you so clearly are no longer what you were pre-embrace.
Finally, The Permutations. Here we find a chapter on Storytelling, the art of running a game. It's full of thoughtful and thought-provoking comments, ideas to help you spawn your own ideas. Developing themes and situations, capturing the essence of the World of Darkness and presenting it to your players. Building a structure to create a coherent chroncicle (plot arc), even how to bring it to a resounding conclusion. There's a wealth of good ideas, it's a chapter you will return to again and again, dip into for a specific nugget or mine to get your own ideas spawning. Build on that with Chapter 9: The Others, which provides detail and resources concerning vampires' few friends and legions of enemies. Many of these will spawn yet more ideas as you read about them. Finally, there's a chapter on Bloodlines. These weave their way through vampire society, more personal than the giant clans. Some may be extinct... or are they? Vampires take these seriously, and including them in the tapestry of your game will enrich it tremendously.
Some see this edition as a nostalgic look back, a retrospective of a great game line. Or as a celebration of the best of a wonderful game. There are indications that it's aimed at rekindling the love with those who have played Vampire: The Masquerade over the preceeding twenty years. Yet it's a whole lot more. It's an encapsulation of what has gone before, accessible to new players as well as to the old, a grand continuation of the game into the next century.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
This adventure concerns goings-on in a tiny port by the name of Haskenport, founded on a shallow inlet by a paladin who fancied retiring to the area. He built himself a manor house and a dock, then a chance discovery of some particularly tasty mushrooms led to a small gourmet trade that built up the settlement a bit. Some ten years ago the paladin passed away, leaving his lands and manor to the local church - but they have struggled with the upkeep and it's not in very good condition. Worse, it appears some hobgoblins have taken up residence there...
There's a bit of background which reveals all that's going on in and around the manor, and a few hooks to get the party involved - although the thought of clearing monsters out of a manor house ought to be sufficient for any bunch of adventurers worth their salt. We get quite a bit of detail about Haskenport, sufficient to make it come alive not just for the purposes of this adventure but as a location within your campaign world, although there is no plan of the settlement although there are several detailed ones of the manor house.
The adventure itself consists of two encounters and the exploration of the manor house itself. It's all nicely put together and provides opportunities to talk as well as to fight. As written, psionics are involved: but if you don't care for them there are notes about how to provide non-psionic alternatives and still maintain the flavour of the adventure.
It's a nice straightforward adventure that actually has quite a bit to it once you get to grips with it, with a few suggestions for follow-up activities that could even see the party settling down in the manor if you want them to have a base - at 7th-level they might be looking to establish somewhere to settle down.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
The Introduction begins by running through some basic definitions. A ghoul is a servant to a vampire, who has given said loyal servant some of his blood - thus giving the ghoul increased life and strength, access to Disciplines and all in a being who can still go out in the daytime (possibly the most useful thing!). Revenants are members of a family who has been magically altered and bred to naturally produce vitae for themselves. Opinions in vampire society differ about the creation of ghouls, from outright condemnation to fears that they threaten the Masquerade, but they are just so darn useful that many vampires make use of them even if they don't really want to admit to it. Above all they are loyal: perhaps through fear or addiction, but often out of self-interest - they like the powers they can attain or even hope one day to become vampires themselves - and many develop a blood bond with their masters.
This book sets out to spotlight ghouls and revenants, although they have already appeared in earlier books, and contain rules for creating player character ghouls and revenants as well as NPC sidekicks for vampire characters. Pre-generated ones are supplied (use them if you're in a rush or want an NPC one), and there's a wealth of detail about how to use them in your game and even how to centre your game around ghouls rather than vampires... it's an intriguing thought, perhaps a party of ghouls vying for their NPC master's attention or collaborating to keep him safe. There's also a lot of deep background about how various grouping of vampires view ghouls and revenants, and on the history of revenants and their families.
Chapter 1: Blood is Life details what it's like to be a ghoul. There is plenty of deep background for those who wish to delve into the history and philosophy of this state - and plenty of ideas spring out as you read for how you can use ghouls in your game, or build an entire chronicle around them. Roles for ghouls include servant, concierge, protector or bodyguard and even driver, or a trusted one may even be a confidante, someone to whom the vampire can unburden themselves. This chapter also covers the recruitment of ghouls and their day-to-day life and relationship with 'their' vampire.
Chapter 2: Ghouldom, Blood Bonds and Systems blurs in character detail with game mechanical information as it looks at how the ghoul's relationship with the vampire who created him grows and develops. It also discusses what happens to the ghoul physically as his new condition takes hold. There is also information on the inherent dangers involved...
Next, Chapter 3: Clan Ghouls and Organisations surveys how ghouls and revenants are viewed by other members of the undead community. Of course, the 'party line' and how individual vampires actually behave are often vastly different, something worth playing up. This background material may come in useful when selecting the sect and clan of the vampire to whom a player-character ghoul is bound, or building intrigue once your game is up and running. And, of course, ghouls form their own organisations too, and you can find out about them here.
Then, Chapter 4: Revenants and their Families goes into detail about these strange mutated bloodlines, how they operate and what they are like. It seems they've been around a long time, if the histories are to be believed. Sample families are provided, ready to weave into your own chronicles. Once your appetite is whetted by all this material, Chapter 5: Character Creation provides you with the tools to dive in and begin to create your own ghouls and revenants ready for play. It's similar to the standed Vampire system with its own specific quirks and choices.
Moving on to Storyteller territory, Chapter 6: Storytelling is jam-packed with ideas for ghoul-based games, replete with plot devices and storytelling seeds and covering everything from getting started to creating the right mood and managing a whole bunch of ghouls and revenants. And of course, you can use ghouls as antagonists in a more traditional vampire-centred game. There's plenty on the different types of chroncile you might run, bursting with ideas that just about make you want to grab some dice and go in search of some players... and the book then winds up with appendices covering a Gallery of Ghouls, ready-made for you to use, and a selection of Animal Ghouls and Monstrous Creations.
This work forms a useful expansion to the Vampire world and can be used in so many different ways, from running a game based around ghouls and revenants rather than their vampire masters to embuing your vampires' servitors with a wealth of rich detail. Definitely worth adding to your library!
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Set in and around the settlement of Deepwood, this adventure can be placed in any remote wooded area of your campaign world. The background notes reveal the underlying secret of the settlement, but even outsiders are aware that not all is well in the town: the town's priestess being ripped to shreds by a werewolf who turns out to be an upstanding member of the community will give that impression. And yet, it's not a werewolf problem...
The adventure is very freeform, with encounters and investigations around the town that can happen pretty much in response to party actions. The really interesting thing about it is the deep moral questions that it poses, questions that the townsfolk themselves must face, never mind the party. This one ought to get them thinking.
To aid in running it, there's a map and detailed notes on Deepwood and the people who live there, along with plenty of hints and tips to help you play an array of NPCs. This is an adventure that includes a lot of interactions, and needs the party to have their wits about them and their eyes open. Careful preparation is key, but it should prove a memorable interlude.
Depending on what the party finds out, various ways are suggested to get them to the climax in a nearby valley - a nice way of completing the adventure without having to lead them by the nose! Even neater, a brawl is going to take place irrespective of what the party does - or even if it gets there in time - as rivals are spoiling for a fight. There are a few suggestions for handling the aftermath and follow-up adventures, but overall this is a well-crafted and thoughtful adventure.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
This adventure has its origins in the dim and distant past, when lizardfolk were a dominant civilisation especially in jungle areas. The extensive backstory tells how they built a temple in a remote mountainous area to their deity, and how, over time, they became proud and fell away from the gods, angering them... and their empire fell. Spin forwards to the present day, and the settlement of Tooj-Reh is puzzled by strange lights from the nearby jungles. Perhaps the party will be able to find out what's going on?
Various hooks are supplied to get the party into the right area, and once they reach Tooj-Reh - possibly having to dodge a forest fire on the way - they have an opportunity to gather information about what appears to be going on in the area and get asked to investigate (if their curiousity has not already been piqued enough!).
The structure of the adventure is quite free-form, there's one encounter whilst the party is in Tooj-Reh (and if that doesn't get them interested, nothing will), one in the jungle on the way to the long-lost and abandoned (or is it?) temple, plus the exploration of the temple itself. The temple is based on one featured in the Map-a-Week series on the Wizards of the Coast website, which is still available at the time of writing if you follow the link in the PDF - worth doing as the map provided here is labelled and you might want a blank version to show your players.
Of course, travelling through a jungle is an adventure in itself, and there's a sidebar on the jungle environment to help you. The temple too is well-described and there's plenty scope for further adventure once the immediate threat has been dealt with - although the assumption is that the party will fight and destroy rather than attempt to find a peaceful solution.
This adventure has the heady excitement of Indiana Jones-style exploration of ancient sites, battling against primitives and assuming the general superiority of current civilisation over that of the past... with scope for more thoughtful characters to try and figure out past civilisations and their secrets.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|