Brilliant New Concept for Background Material - The Story Guide

Really love this idea of a Story Guide rather than a fixed scenario, as it means games keepers like me can feel less guilty about running the scenario my own way. Part way between a full heavy weight sourcebook and a scenario with a fixed arc this gives a lot of material but no fixed track to use it.

For improvised keepers like me this becomes much more friendly and usable and at the same time i can feel less guilty at taking only what i want to use and ignoring parts as they won't be useful or needed. This is refreshing for me as i often struggle to find scenario's that keep me fully engaged and even those written by great writers i want to change and adapt.

The sheer amount of material here does make up massively for no single tale or structured path being offered. This is truly a mini sourcebook as it gives plenty of background, locations and characters but is not a full sourcebook either and so does not overwhelm with the level of detail.

Its like a very well formed sketch book - like a Da Vinci notebook page - crammed with ideas to spark your imagination but not so bare as to leave you wanting.

I would like to see ,ore in this format and may even try to write in this style myself. I think the format has legs and will be a useful intermediary between the sourcebooks of the publisher and the single tales of many writers.

Overall a 4 out of 5 because i feel that the layout does flit back and forth a little and seems to me that it needed a tad more structure in order of the info presented, but in the whole this is superb and great value for money.

Another Alpaca Hit in the making... 5/5 Stars

The latest instalment of the Alpaca saga brings either a one shot set in Edinburgh (Actually - Leith, a beautiful suburb of the main city) or the next step in a campaign which is slowly trying to encompass the whole of Scotland. Do you dare stand before the might of the Alpaca!

As a one shot the scenario is a great little set up and allows for a shortish game (one or two sessions) which will give a quick and rapidly escalating series of events leading to a cumulating event that will effect the whole City if unchecked. The use of modern Cafe society and consumerism is handled well and leads to a refreshing take on a 'infection' event.

As a part of the ongoing campaign this charts the latest progression towards the total domination of a left behind entity which has the power to extend its influence unless stopped. Who knows where this will all end....

Though set in the modern era - it is possible to take the basis of the story and convert easily to be used in any era - especially for Pulp as this is directly mentioned in the text.

For those who have bought the previous scenarios in this series, this is a no nonsense buy as it furthers the fun of those earlier games and makes a warm and fuzzy little game full of laughs and terror in equal possibility.

If however you have not bought the other scenario's this is STILL a fantastic buy as it is totally stand alone and after playing this you may want to look up the others - Alpaca in a Sheep Field and Alpaca on a Plane - alternatively grab the bundle of them all... you won't regret it.

Beautiful and terrifying in equal measures, this book is the best SOLO or single player addition since this same authors guide to Character Creation.

Based somewhere between being a guidebook and setting guide and a play as you read style gamebook this is something that should NOT work but it DOES! Boy does this work...

The multiple locations are all superbly laid out - described to a degree where you have enough to use either in this adventure or in one of your own creation. The story arc is multiple paths and by using a motif of masks you get many different paths through this one adventure - each with its own totally different outcomes. The Story outcomes in their own right change as you progress and add additional plays through the lost and damned city. The City grows and changes depending on your path, but you also can set it in a fixed point on each of its maps (one map is provided for each aspect of the city its visitors see) with the first person to encounter a place setting its location on the current map. Future explorers on this path will extend from where things left off until each of the aspects is complete.

The story is truly engaging and has moments of horror that are well worth the purchase on their own... The Artwork and layout is sumptuous and delightfully decadent, giving the feel of the damned city in all of its finery. The characters you meet will be different based upon how you encounter them or where... Finally if you get to the centre of the labyrinth you face your ultimate challenge.

This is a must have guide and for anyone interested in this setting - this is going to form the basis of how we envision it for many years to come.

For further flavour there is an actual play available with the creator currently on Twitch but soon to be on YouTube from Symphony Entertainment and it is highly recommended if you are unsure of your overwhelming need to secure your own copy of this must have book.

This game gives me the tingles.... the concept is so simple but it pulls from deep in the soul of its players. It is a roleplaying game for everyone as it is system agnostic and can be applied to any background. It is a game for everyone as anyone can learn it and mostly it is a game for everyone because it can be fun as much as it can get dark and brooding.

For only the second published scenario of the author this is a great tale of isolation, fear and uncovering a mystery that has drawn in the players.

The setting is generated in such a way as to make the location immediately imposing and potentially scary. Then when you start learning of the events of the area the mystery deepens.

This scenario could easily be transposed to the 1890's or even frontier and Down Deeper Trails with only a couple of slight modifications. Or should you feel that the modern era fits better then it can also work here - though the setting needs a level of remoteness so no cell phones or easy communications.

Overall this is a good scenario and would make a good distraction in the midst of a campaign. With some light changes it would also make a good introduction for new players too but it would need an experienced Keeper in that case.

Easily worth the money though.

Watch out for this one - it'll captivate you in ways you don't fully expect...

This is the 4th scenario from the talented Rina Haenze and they have once more proved that a simple idea can drag you into great depths. What starts as a simple missing persons case devolves as people gather and share their tradegies only to discover similarities in their losses. As the case develops and people become drawn in the tensions rise up and the stakes build.

For a simple set up, this tale will lead in a heartbreaking direction and it is down to the players to see how far they can take this bond, both to the missing person and each other, towards a potential demise of a scope that is not cosmic but all too natural.

You will not regret the choice of purchasing this game, you may regret how you choose to interact with Jolene herself...

This is a fantastic scenario set in the heart of New Orleans during the height of the classic era for Call of Cthulhu.

taking the format of a meeting of people who are invited to dine with an old friend who is then unexpectedly delayed this starts out in a similar way to many other scenarios. However the start is literally just the tip of this mystery and as you travel around gatheri g information the sense of dread rises with the humidity of the setting.

Without providing spoilers this game is superb as a start of a New Orleans campaign or even as it is written as a post prelude (Peru) but pre Chapter 1 (New York) game for slotting into the Masks of Nyarlathothep campaign.

The tale is made all the more disturbing by the incredible detail presented in a number of scenes and the links to several practices of the period.

Overall it is highly enjoyable and whats more fantasti value either on its own or bought as a part of a bundle.

p.s. the pre gen characters are really great and could form back up characters for other chapters of Masks if you so desired.

Another Slam Dunk scenario from Kat Clay, this time for the Regency Setting of Call of Cthulhu.

In case anyone doesn't know Kat is a fantastic writer of whodunnit's, detective stories and other fiction.. She also turns her hand to believable historic scenarios with a rich depth and all the background needed to make them live and breathe in your head for as long as they take to run and enjoy.

Like her earlier Gaslight Scenario "The Hammersmith Haunting" this is set in true life locales, is well researched and has enough background to make the story pop into life as you run it. Knowing the area where this latest scenario is set as well (I am local to the setting) i was impressed by how greatly Kat understands the background and has weaved her narrative together with the history to form a tense and mysterious story with elements of true horror, grand shocks and a devolving subject of investigation.

If this doesn't become a best seller with many medals i will eat my bonnet!

This bundle is ALL killer and no filler - 5 great reasons why the setting is worth checking out and plenty of ways to handle voyages in the Regency Era...

The bundle is packed with 5 products linked thematically around the world of Sail in the Regency setting and brings a real richness to the whole aspect of taking to the seas.

I have left individual reviews on all of the products herein but as a bundle this becomes even greater value. You can effectively run them in a kind of order as a whole campaign thematically living in the world of the Navy and the trials and tribulations of life offshore in a wooden claustraphobic pressure cooker of dangers and fears.

Without shouting too much from the rigging each element has its place and has little if no dead weight as all scenarios bring a new take on the background presented herein.

Loved it so much i appeared in an actual play of one of the elements in here...

The Pursuit is a classic chase scenario... except you are the hunted...

Part of the Wonderful In Strange Seas setting this glorious scenario is a tense and oft nail biting chase trying to escape from a foe that is completely beyond your capability to face. Try to run - try to hide but at some stage you need to face your fears and face your pursuer....

Not giving any spoilers but this is a fantastic companion to the scenario in the main In Strange Seas setting book and could even be used as an end to your ongoing campaign on the high seas.

There are lots of events to mix it all up and many ways to approach the ending point but all are gripping and filled with adventure.

So you have bought In Strange Seas and want to sail the worlds Oceans fighting for King and Country...

But what about some Shore leave?

What happens when you land on an island that at first glance is paradise but after time becomes more like hell on earth...?

This fine tale tells you exactly that and is a wonderful part of the larger setting. Working to give you many avenues of adventure that starts in the strict manner of the high discipline of Royal Navy life but then devolves as the island takes effect.

Fantastic tale.

From the author of Host and Hostility i was expecting something good to tie into the In Strange Seas setting for Regency Cthulhu but wow... I was NOT disappointed in the least...

Giving a land locked approach in a Naval Setting may seem odd or risky unless you are a genius writer who can bring together the threads of social encounters from Regency with the Naval setting's rules and hierarchy.

Mr SR Sellens IS THAT GENIUS.

His tale of revenge and plots in the halls of the admiralty is as fierce as a battle at sea and as brutal as a formal Ton Dance... this is Regency and In Strange Seas at their best.

Simply WOW!!

Superb from the onset - this is the way Naval encounters in historic periods should be approached...

Let me start by saying it comes from a fantastic pedigree being penned by the amazing Evan Perlman. This man understands that the history is as vital a part of the game and is a 'player' in its own right. Whether he writes for Regency as here or for other eras Evan gets it that the work of immersing yourself is to have good background and this is no exception.

Full of interesting information, vibrant illustrations to aid the feel, facts that will assist the running of any adventure from the setting and also enough of a starter scenario to get you out to sea and to begin your adventures on these high seas.

As a bit of a history fan i found this entralling but i even know people who were less interested, but who have been won over nevertheless by the clear passion for the information presented here and the love of the subject is as infectious as plague aboard ship.

This is a wonderful addition to the Regency Era and is a must have for information about voyaging the seas.

As a stand alone game this is fantastic, as a part of a campaign it depends upon how serious the games have been.

Naturally a little more tongue in cheek than the other games of this In Strange Seas setting this is literally a breath of fresh sea air and gives us a much needed scenario with a heart and sense of humour that lifts the dark and crushing subject matter to make for an enjoyable tale.

Without giving anything away and needing spoilers - this slots in nicely into the Naval setting for Regency and pushes at some of the boundaries without taking itself so seriously that it becomes overweight or crushing. It has enough substance to make it full of potential shivers and terror but it also has a possible lightness that can redeem even the darkest campaign.

Superb

Quite a lovely little scenario and as a first time effort it is somewhat of a gem.

At first glance this would seem to be similar to many other closed location games or scenarios. It has a feeling of a game of Cluedo (Clue) for its setup and inspiration as the party are invited to a weekend murder mystery party but actually ruins much deeper and will superbly work as either a one shot or a single or two session interlude in a campaign.

The ideas of a masquarade ball are used alot, closed house mysteries again feature often in these scenarios but the combination of the two along with a time sensitive story makes this feel different and fresh.

The characters are presented in a believable manner and the story allows for a lot of scope despite the enclosed setting. Finding yourself involved in the events is handled well and the transition from what you thought was going on to what is really happening is for a first time author a slick piece of writing.

Overall i enjoyed this scenario and the ability to change it to other eras without significant changes is alway a plus to an old gaslight player like myself.