Review: A Splintered Peace

A City Torn Asunder

"Splintered Peace" by David Chart, published by Penumbra and distributed by Atlas Games.  Let's take a more detailed look at the book.

There's a three page short introduction to the book and its contents called "Welcome to Marchion".

The book is divided in two parts, "A Guide to Marchion", and "Marchion in Crisis".

Part One, "A Guide to Marchion", contains four chapters.

Chapter One, "History", contains, of course, a history of the city of Marchion, as well as several adventure seeds.

Chapter Two, "Politics", deals with politics within the city, and info about an annual festival.

Chapter Three, "Important People", contains a NPC summary table and 31 prominent citizens.

Chapter Four, "Gazetteer", gives finer details of the city broken down quarter by quarter, and includes short details of local deities.

Part Two, "Marchion in Crisis", contains seven chapters.

Chapter Five, "Running the Crisis", gives some info on the various troubles both within and outside of the city.

Chapter Six, "Signs of the Storm", has some ideas on beginning the crisis.

Chapter Seven, "Attitude Rules", details the various people's attitudes towards other races, and includes an attitude summary table and a chart to copy to keep track of those attitudes.

Chapter Eight, "Fighting the Orcs", shows the major current threat to the city, including 20 tribes of Orcs, a new Orc deity, the current leader of the tribes, and his assistant, and has a small map of their hideout.

Chapter Nine, "Reacting", If racial tension continues in Marchion, the town becomes segregated (at least) and may possibly flare up into riots and rekindling of old racial hatreds.

Chapter Ten, "Acting", details how the reactions of the city inhabitants can be cooled, and how the mayor (if still alive), the community leaders, various public works projects, and the annual festival can be used to do this.

Chapter Eleven, "Aftermath", is =very= short - only a half page of details on what happens if the players succeed, and what happens if they don't.

There's a map of the city on the inside front and inside back covers.  Although this book claims to be a campaign sourcebook, it really feels more like a very large (112 page) module for 8th level (or better) characters.  However, should the players succeed in both averting the Orc threat and restoring at least a "Splintered Peace" to the town, it would serve as an excellent base of operations, and at least a temporary home to return to.  Rebuilding the city and surrounding area from the Orc attacks, the adventure seeds, protecting caravans both leaving and entering the city, and others would give many days of adventure.  Another good product from Penumbra.

Review: Sacred Ground II

Review: Another Sourcebook of Holy SItes

"Sacred Ground II" by Adam Bank, Chris Jones, Rick Neal, and James Maliszewski, published by Penumbra and distributed by Atlas Games.

This second 112 page sourcebook for Holy Sites contains four areas for you to place in your own campaign.

There's a two page short introduction to the book and its contents.

One, "Hai Shen Gong", contains 30 pages of details on the sea spirit temple, some NPC's, a new prestige class, 5 new deities and 2 new domains, and the temple guardian.

Two, "Earthblood Grove", contains 28 pages of details on the Druid grove, another new prestige class, a sample druid grove creature encounter table, a new creature, and the grove's guardian.

Three, "Creche Hospice", contains 26 pages of details including a few great new traps, some NPC's, and some info on a "Divine Energy Nexus" and what it can do, and a list of hospice services provided.

Four, "Oracle of Sumura", contains 23 pages of details including yet another new deity and domain, a new template, a new feat and a new skill, and a new item.

There are numerous NPC's detailed, as is a two page map of each site.  Finally, there's an index to new D20 material.  The layout is good and makes it easy to find what you might be looking for.  There's even a couple of adventure ideas for each site, as well as alternate versions.  They are all unique enough to give players food for thought.  Another good product from Penumbra.

Review: Sacred Ground

Review: A Soucebook for Holy Sites

"Sacred Ground" by James Maliszewski, Rick Neal, and Chris Jones, published by Penumbra and distributed by Atlas Games.

This 112 page sourcebook for Holy Sites contains four areas for you to place in your own campaign.

There's a three page short introduction to the book and its contents.

One, "Gabriel's Aerie", contains 29 pages of details on a floating shrine to the four winds, including a new deity and a new domain, a few NPC's, a couple new rules, and a chart for random aerial encounters.

Two, "Summer's Barrow", contains 25 pages of details on the hidden site, another new deity and domain, a few NPC's, and some details about the underground vault and tomb.

Three, "The Necropolis", contains 26 pages of details on the chapter house, yet another new deity and domain, a few NPC's, a new magic item, and even a new monster - such as it is.

Four, "Retreat of the Warrior Saint", contains 24 pages of details on the retreat, new weapons, some NPC's, another new deity, some info on the herb garden and winery, and even a tournament to participate in.

There are numerous NPC's detailed, as is a two page map of each site.  Finally, there's an advertisement for the sequel and an ad for their Fantasy Bestiary.  The layout is good and makes it easy to find what you might be looking for.  There's even a couple of adventure ideas for each site, as well as alternate versions.  They are all unique enough to give players food for thought.  Another good product from Penumbra.

Review: Adventurer's Armory

A Small Treasure Hoard for your campaign

"Adventure's Armory" by various, published and distributed by Paizo Publishing.

This very slim 32 page addition for the Pathfinder Campaign Setting primarily adds new weapons to your Pathfinder campaign, and is easily adapted to most Fantasy Role Playing Games.

There's charts for weapons on the inside front and inside back covers.  Inside, of course, there's a large section on Weapons, Armor, and Adventuring Gear, and small sections on combat, faith, magic, an NPC in the Persona section, and social info.

This book is a supplement to the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook.  The regular weapons pages gives info on everything from Aklys to Wooden Stakes.  There's a very small bit about armor and shields.  There are great new Adventuring Gear items, from Area Maps to Wrist Sheaths.  Even more special substances like Alchemical Grease or a Water Purification Sponge.  There are tool kits and spell kits, Clothing, Food Drink and lodging, mounts pets and gear, Entertainment items, what's available on the Black Market, and converting Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting items. 

Then comes the charts you will need in order to introduce all these things to your campaign.  There's also a quick overview of Equipment Tricks, Channelling Foci, Alchemical components, and Equipment traits and new feats.  Then there's Arayam Bismut, an alchemist for hire, who has an interesting back story, and a number of kinfolk.  He might make a great NPC when GM's go looking for adventure seeds.

Although you might think the small size of this book limits its focus, I believe that it is chock full of useful gaming facts.  My players use it all the time.  Highly recommended.

Review: Paths of Prestige

Many paths to choose from

"Paths of Prestige" by various, published and distributed by Paizo Publishing.

This slim 64 page addition for the Pathfinder Campaign Setting adds 30 new prestige classes to your favorite Fantasy role-playing game.

Section One, "Arcana", has 8 new mage prestige classes, including the Arclord of Nex, the Blackfire Adept, the Magaambyan Arcanist, the Razmiran Priest, the Riftwarden, the Tattooed Mystic, the Veiled Illusionist, and the Winter Witch.

Section Two, "Brawn", has 9 new fighter prestige classes, including the Aldori Swordlord, the Brother of the Seal, the Golden Legionnaire, the Knight of Ozem, the Lantern Bearer, the Mammoth Rider, the Pit Fighter, the Shieldmarshal, and the Skyseeker.

Section Three, "Guile", has 6 new rogue prestige classes, including the Aspis Agent, the Bellflower Tiller, the Daggermark Poisoner, the Gray Gardener, the Noble Scion, and the Sleepless Detective.

Section Four, "Piety", has 7 new clerical prestige classes, including the Champion of Irori, the Dawnflower Dissident, the Green Faith Acolyte, the Hellknight Signifier, the Prophet of Kalistrade, the Storm Kindler, and the Umbral Court Agent.

There's also a chart showing where to find 36 other prestige classes.  The classes in the book are presented in alphabetical order.  A canny GM would look to see if any of these classes would be more appropriate for NPC's.  There are two pages for each class, and the necessary chart, as well as a sample picture of what a generic member of that class would look like.  All new prestige classes in this volume, and references to the prestige classes in other Pathfinder products, make this just about a must-have for GM's.  Highly recommended.

Review: Three Days to Kill

Review: Three Days to Kill

"Three Days to Kill" by John Tynes, published by Penumbra and distributed by Atlas Games.

This slim 32 page adventure module for characters from 1st to 3rd level is still jam packed with great info for the GM.  Even the inside front cover and inside back cover have maps for your use.  Although there are only three sections, there is plenty of material in each.

Part One, "Backdrop", includes customizing the module for your fantasy world, the setting, a bit about the bandit lords, whom you will be fighting later, and a look at the two temples in town.

Part Two, "Getting Started", has references for the Festival of Plenty and the job that is the module's main focus.

Part Three, "The Trek North", is the meat and potatoes of the module and contains a bandit lair and a few orcs thrown in for good measure.  There's also a paragraph or two about future adventures should the party survive the main encounter.

There are numerous NPC's detailed, as is a map of the small city.  A block about the challenge ratings for likely opponents, and even some optional opponents is also included,  As I stated earlier, there's maps on the inner covers, maps of the two temples, and a complete overview of the bandit villa.  The whole module is generic enough to plop down virtually anywhere you have a good space on your own maps, and can also be run by itself - even as an intro for new player characters.  I'd say this module deserves at least a look-see if interested - even if you're looking for a one shot deal.  Another good product from Penumbra.

Review: Pathfinder GM's Screen

Review: Pathfinder GM's Screen

"GM Screen" by Paizo, published and distributed by Paizo Publishing.

This four panel Gamemasters screen for the Pathfinder role playing game features extra durable hardcover stock pages, a great piece of art on the player's side, and four pages of quick reference charts on the GM's side.

Page One, "Skills", includes charts for acrobatic maneuvers, bluffing, wind effects on flight, Climbing, Diplomacy, Disabling Devices, and flying.

Page Two, "Skills", has references for healing, knowledge, perception, riding, spellcraft, survival, and swimming.

Page Three, "Combat", contains attack roll modifiers, armor class modifiers, combat maneuvers, two-weapon fighting, concentration checks, and a great list of conditions that affect combat.

Page Four, "Miscellaneous", shows armor and weapon hardness, other item hardness, and common item hardness as well as charts for XP awards, and for treasure values per encounter.

Having these charts at your fingertips saves a lot of time leafing through the various books for a quick ruling.  The four panel construction gives GM's room for both a notepad and their maps.  The heavy card stock covers means its very durable and suitable for frequent use.  If you're a GM for a Pathfinder game, and you don't have this screen, my suggestion is that it be the next item on your "To Purchase" list.  Highly recommended.

Review: The Tide of Years

Review: The Tide of Years

"The Tide of Years" by Michelle A. Brown Nephew, published by Penumbra and distributed by Atlas Games.  An adventure module for 4th to 6th level characters.  Here's a quick look at the contents.

Chapter One, "The Spirit of Lagueen", includes an overview for the book, and how to introduce characters.  It also includes a new clerical domain, and spells for that domain.

Chapter Two, "Preparations", details how the village readies the party to breathe underwater.  A new monster and a new magical item are included, as is a valuable NPC.

Chapter Three, "The Waters of Time", contains a map of the underwater temple, another new monster, how to handle underwater movement and combat, and a great deal of info about the pyramid and its contents.

Chapter Four, "Replacing the Temporal Crystal", reveals what happens if the party's mission is successful, including a chart for challenge ratings and experience.

This 48 page adventure would result in a totally new civilization being plopped down into your fantasy world, but there are ways to avoid this if you already have a fairly structured realm.  GM's can have a lot of fun with "Kyrielee" and should play up the charming element if possible.  There are many things in the pyramid, and even more in the library that PC's may want to take.  There's a great chart in the book that describes water damage of various types.  Finally, there's a new large monster guarding the crystal, and the book allows for at least three different types of traps.  If you're not afraid of introducing time travel in your campaign, I'd say this is a wonderful way to start.  However, if you do not want time travel available, there are ways to do that too.  Another product worth looking at from Penumbra.

Review: Maiden Voyage

Review: Maiden Voyage

"Maiden Voyage" by Chad Brouillard, published by Penumbra and distributed by Atlas Games.  An adventure module for 1st to 3rd level characters.  Here's a quick look at the contents.

The "Intro" only has a brief "Before the Adventure" overview, and the Open Gaming License.

The "Before the Journey" chapter details "The Albers", a small one-masted ship, and a couple of encounters with dock NPC's, and the Albers crew, among other things.

"Day One: First Impressions", contains a card game characters can learn, and some shipboard rumors, including the sighting of a "Sea Serpent", and an eclipse.

"Day Two: The Calm Before the Storm", shows the players not only a valuable prisoner, but that the crew is very restless.

"Day Three: Murder and Mutiny", allows players to help with the investigation of a murder and the results of their investigation.

"Day Four: The Ghost Ship".  Herein lies the core of the adventure, the sighting and subsequent boarding of "The Sea Maiden" and what happens next.

The appendix gives stats for the NPC's and three pages of player handouts that I think are hard to read, and would probably be worse if copied.

This 40 page adventure would serve as a great intro to seaborne adventures, or simply a filler between two city adventures.  It is unfortunate that the open gaming content uses a background color that make the text here hard to read as well.  Ordinarily, I'd give this module a solid four stars, but with the text in many places hard to read, I just can't give it more than three.  Still, if you're looking to see if your players are interested in seagoing tales, it's a good start.

Review: Trailblazer

Review: Trailblazer

"Trailblazer" by Benjamin Durbin and Christopher Neveu, published and distributed by Bad Axe Games.  This book claims to create new horizons in 3.5 roleplaying.  Let's take a look at the contents and see if they succeed.

1) The Introduction.  Even the introduction has new ideas for players and GM's.  The book goes over some items that needed improvement from basic 3.5.  It includes several things that needed changing, and some charts that prove their point that even the "spine" of 3.5 could use a little tweaking.  Rebalancing core classes and customizing monsters are high on their list.

2) Action Points.  Introduces Action Points to 3.5 and how to use them for both players and GM's.

3) Character Creation.  All 3.5's core classes receive a workout.

4) Skills.  A look at what skills were changed skill by skill.

5) Feats.  Details on fixing old feats, creating new feats, and deleted feats.

6) Equipment.  Changes to weapons, and particularly armor.

7) Combat.  Some changed attack bonuses, attack roll modifiers, and armor class modifiers, and what actions you may take if in combat. 

8) Exploration.  New Carrying Capacity, rules for movement, and other items found during exploration.

9) Magic.  Some spell changes, ready spells, and spell slots, and a glance at spell descriptions.

10) Encounters and Challenges.  A step-by-step guide to encounters, and details on how to create Elite and Solo Monsters, and monster types, subtypes, and special abilities.

11) Wilderness, Weather, and Environment.  Outdoor and indoor environments, wilderness areas, urban adventures, and some small details on weather.

If you're beginning to believe that they took the 3.5 rules and almost totally replaced them, you might be close to the sum of this book.  I find it interesting that one "J. Bulmahn" is listed as a playtester.  For those who don't know, Bulmahn is primarily responsible for the Pathfinder role-playing game.  Even the names are similar - does "Trailblazer" = "Pathfinder"?  You'll have to read this to find out.  For fantasy gamemasters, I'd say this one is well worth picking up.  Highly recommended.

Review: Touched by the Gods

Review: Touched by the Gods

"Touched by the Gods" by various, published by Penumbra, and distributed by Atlas Games.  This book claims to be a sourcebook for cults and cabals.  There are 15 different religious organizations covered in its 128 pages.  All 15 groups include some info and adventure seeds.  There are 4 new prestige classes, 7 new spells, and a few new magic items.  Following are a few brief descriptions of the 15 entries.

1) The Athenaeum.  A group of librarians and collectors seeking knowledge and selling info.

2) Davlika.  A group of goblins has "seen the light" and are now atoning for their perceived wrong doings.

3) Death's Forsaken.  A society of individuals that have been resurrected or raised from the dead.

4) The Forge.  A loose alliance of mages seeking immortality in a strange way.

5) God Seekers.  Seeking candidates for elevation to godhood.

6) Justicars.  A secret society of beings seeking to eliminate those who have escaped justice.

7) Lurient's Legacy.  A movement dedicated to equalizing the balance of wealth.

8) Openers of the Way.  Looking for their "chosen one" to fight a major demon.

9) The Order of Endings.  Preparing adherents for the afterlife in the netherworlds. 

10) The Reborn.  Alliance of humanoids that have been transformed into animal forms.

11) Shepherds of the Root.  Ushering in an age of enlightenment by attempting to topple civilization.

12) Spirits of Bohnaraii.  Composed almost entirely by nobles, they believe they can cause miracles.

13) Survival Cults.  Mostly comprised by dwarves, these artisans rarely go far from home.

14) Ten Thousand Heroes.  These warriors feel driven to prove themselves in battle. 

15) The Way of the Wolf.   A diabolic sect of werewolves who worship a werewolf lich.

I believe almost all of these "churches" could be dropped wholesale into almost any fantasy campaign.  Although I've only given a really short definition, there is much detail to be mined here by creative GM's.  I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that virtually all of Penumbra's D20 material is worth at least a good look.  For fantasy gamemasters, I'd say this one is well worth picking up.  Highly recommended.

Review: Crime and Punishment

Review: Crime and Punishment

"Crime and Punishment" by Keith Baker, published by Penumbra, and distributed by Atlas Games.  Most fantasy campaigns sort-of glance over crimes and punishment.  What happens =after= you loot that tomb?  For players, this book is a soucebook of law and order.  For GM's, this book reveals many details about what is considered a crime in various fantasy settings, and what happens to you if you are caught.  After a short two page intro to the book, it gets right into the meaty parts by giving GM's a new character class (The Investigator) and a new Prestige class (The Inquisitor).  In the 29 pages of chapter two, there are also spells and tools of the trade.  In the third chapter, we find another new character class - the Bounty Hunter, and two new Prestige classes, the Mage Hunter, and the Spellbane.  The rest of chapter 3 deals with spells and tools for those three classes.  The fourth chapter details many facets of law in a feudal society, and gives yet another new character class - The Justice.  Chapter Five details law in a theocratic society and two new Prestige classes - The Lawkeeper, and The God's Eye.  Chapter Six deals with what laws (if any!) are in a lawless society.  Chapter Seven tells you what taboos you might transgress and what to do if you find yourself in that situation.  Chapter Eight deals with punishment of various types.  Chapter Nine deals with imprisonment both above, in a cell, or below in a dungeon.  This hardback book of 160 pages is a treasure trove worth looting.  The 8 classes, the equipment (and how to use it!), the new feats, the new magic items, the info on how to use skills, the new spells, and the info on how to use law and order is invaluable.  Off hand, I can't remember seeing any book that fills this niche better than this one.   For fantasy gamemasters, I'd say this one is well worth picking up.  Highly recommended.

Review: The Demon Wars Campaign Setting

 Review: The Demon Wars Campaign Setting

"R. A. Salvatore's Demon Wars Campaign Setting" by various, published by Fast Forward Entertainment.  Details a complete world setting based on R. A. Salvatore's first "Demon Wars" trilogy.  The "Demon Wars" trilogy includes "The Demon Awakens", "The Demon Spirit", and "The Demon Apostle".  Although there is another series, ("Mortalis", "Ascendance", "Transcendance", and "Immortalis") those books are not included in this volume.  There are a few other RPG books for the Demon Wars.  Although you'll still need the 3.5 edition of the Players Handbook from D&D, there are many places where the info in the PH is basically useless, and has been replaced with new info from this book.  Chapters include: "A Song for Sadye", Characters (and you'll be surprised at what is and is not included!), New Skills and Feats, Gem Magic (a big factor in the novels), Magic Items, Treasure, Creatures, and The World.  There's also a short summary of the first three Demon Wars novels.  The large section on gem magic, gems, and what they do is well worth considering even if you take it out and drop it in your own campaign.  The chapter on Creatures even includes the Demon, Dactyl, the series' major bad guy.  The tables in Treasure give enough random examples so as to not have a lot of duplication.  The art is very good, even though it is black and white.  Altogether, this 128 page hardcover is a very well put together tome.  For fantasy gamemasters, I'd say this one is well worth picking up.  Highly recommended.

Review: Seven Civilizations

Review: Seven Civilizations

"Seven Civilizations" by Rick Neal & Keith Baker, published by Atlas Games.  Details the creation and population of seven quite different civilizations: The Dragon Kings, Takalas, The Wind Riders, Silvergate, The Wilding Tribes, The Mondian Empire, and Kel Taera.  After a very short introduction that explains how to use the contents, there's a 14 page look at The Dragon Kings, 12 pages for Takalas, 11 pages for The Wind Riders, 14 pages for Silvergate, 11 pages for The Wildling Tribes, 14 pages for The Mondian Empire, and 12 pages for Kel Taera.  Each of them include a couple of plot ideas.  There are also many small maps.  They also include a few NPC's that you can use again (with new names) in other areas.  All told, including the OGL and advertisement, there's 96 pages chock full of great world building ideas.  There's almost enough info in this one slim book to fill out a small fantasy world.  For fantasy game masters, I'd say this one is well worth picking up.  Highly recommended.

Review: Seven Strongholds

Review: Seven Strongholds

"Seven Strongholds" by Robin D. Laws, published by Atlas Games.  Details the creation and population of seven different types of strongholds: The Barrows, Castle Briar, Gloom Keep, the Old Mound Fort, Steelface Point, The Perch, and Uthront's Fort.  After a very short introduction that explains how to use the contents, there's a 23 page thorough look at The Barrows, 19 pages for Castle Briar, 17 pages for Gloom Keep, 16 pages for the Old Mound Fort, 17 pages for Steelface Point, 15 pages for The Perch, and 15 pages for Uthront's Fort.  Each of the seven types of strongholds include a couple of plot ideas.  There are also many small maps.  They also include a few NPC's that you can use again (with new names) in other forts.  All told, including the OGL and advertisement, there's 128 pages chock full of great world building ideas.  For fantasy game masters, I'd say this one is well worth picking up.  Highly recommended.