Im having a break from Patreon for a bit or charging for a while. Will be by updates on Ethyria book (another dungeon level and some other recent add ons) and a Chagrinspire book 4 this year. There is a post about that on my Patreon. I might be willing to work with a publisher. Basically my health has been poor and ive quit my studies. I am quite comfortable housing wise so better than i was 5 years ago starting my Patreon that kept me in gaming.
So my KS arrived for this and its the best campaign I've ever signed on for. Though I still like that Midderlands/Glenn Seal stuff tends to be very quick. All my outstanding KS books of last 2 years arrived. I was considering stopping them but this one has renewed my faith a bit. Possibly the MCC game was my least favourite for lacking lore and a campaign but did have awesome illustrations and did listen to complaints early on.
So for my basic outlay, i got a dicebag (amazing quality and will be my standard - embroidered mushrooms and tough cloth. 4 large hardbacks 4 small adventures and a cloth map. So Im glad the money they raised went to tangible rewards.
I did follow the odd Doomwood zines and campaign play vids and saw PDFs but the physical works are amazing.
The paper stock is thick and glossy. High quality stuff.
The fonts are a good size, I can read without glasses vs whole games, I can no longer read even with glasses
My only slight grievances is that the digital embossing on logos looks more digital than the artwork, and the blocks of text dont have ragged text that I find more readable. Possibly, some of the magic abilities have inconsistent duration/usage entries.
Overall, it is an amazing five out of 4 stars, and I will cover the map and players' book here.
The Map Book - over 50 pages no numbers
The map book flipping through, even knowing nothing of the setting, is inspiring stuff. It's also playable and a good size tp be usable. You can see the maps and learn about the setting, and even get ideas you can use. It begs lots of good questions. It is exhaustive but not overwhelming like say the 2 vol Glorantha hardback, which is the greatest game atlas ever. The forest hex maps are high-quality and detailed. The urban maps remind me of 70s children's book art and look like they would be wonderful printed on cloth. They are a bit more abstract illustrations than some players might be used to but have an in-world feel and are utilitarian. The cloth map is very high quality like flag cloth and quite crisp.
The Players Book - 192 pages
Probably one of the best players books for any game and one of the best retroclones. All the information sections are mostly on a single spread. Mostly it is very clear and detailed and not grinding axes telling us how to game properly like some other retroclones. It starts with a simple intro to the setting,
Mechanics-wise wise its a trad older style retro clone on the simpler end on the spectrum. It still bothers with xp and saving throws I find a bit wasteful but I guess some ppl love them (i prefer stat-based saves and less scores on the sheet in some areas). Several systems in the game I have used in my own clone and good to see. I prefer it to OSE & shadowdark. Creation notes and examples are good. It has BX style alignment, which still makes me scream inside as a Moorcock fan and prefer AD&D system. But at least alignment comes up here and is used in the game classes and spells. It has lots of options built in like choices of encumbrance systems.
Languages well resolved in the setting. The species are pretty amazing. Humans get a xp bonus. The non humans are al refreshing and weird. Elves are nightmarish. The distinction between mortal and faerie species are great and more resolved than my own ideas on this. Possibly RQ has made me a bit suspicious of goat folk but the Breggles are great. Moss folk, goblin folk and cat folk are more interesting than i thought. Every species gets a spread of background tables.
The classes are good. Some of the abilities only give a +1, which i find a bit petty. The bard is fine and great for roleplaying scenarios and urban areas or trickery. I do like that the cleric is linked to a specific church and every spell has a description of a saint responsible. They have specific tenets lacking in most games. There are some optional orders providing bonuses much simpler than modern subclasses.
Friars are similar to clerics but less hp, less armour but better at survival and using the herbs buit into the setting. They are a bit less hierarchical and get an AC bonus that increases. They get a spell at 1st lv too. Enchanters get a detect magic skill, fairy magic and glamours which are more like powers than spells. They are also resistant to divine beneficial spells like healing. Its a very different magic systems than spell. Fighters are one of the least boring BX clone versions with 8 fighting style options. There are also knights and hunters. As the game has detailed camping and foraging rules the hunter and friar will stand out. Magicians are typical but have a detect magic skill and a list of starting books, which is great. Theif is a more BX affair (no skill %). Low HP and a slightly nerfed Backstab.
Magic is pretty interesting with the enchanter and other fairy abilities, and the Mossling knacks. Spreads on equiptment, armour, weapons, horses, hounds, lodgings, food, weird beverages, pipeleaf, fungi, herbs, specialists and retainers are all super conveniant. Spreads on game procedures like camping could be used in many games. You could steal plenty here to enhance other games. I suspect there are no grappling rules but might be wrong.
If you wanted to use the setting with OSE rules the species are on a older book which would work fine and you probably could use many features of this players book for a hybrid game. A final section includes noble houses, calender, moon signs and random gifts, Religion and versions of the species as class variants that I quite like for a more BX type game. Mosslings have a bit of text on fungal symbiosis power that might be uncommon or forgotten and I wish had more than cosmetic examples. I guess you could hijack medicinal fungal powers but the monstr book I think has only one fungi monster (the book has 5 but articles talk about 4 as slimes).
Monster Book - 128 pages
Wonderfulbook not just of stats but lots of tables to use them, gossip, npc adventurers of various levels for npcs, other npcs, and normal animals. Inside covers have lots of encounter and other tables for quick reference. Each monster has 3 or so tables to generate traits and encounters. Its a good monster book with some unfamiliar and weird creatures.
Some Final Thoughts
There is lots to borrow and steal for other OSR games. Lots would fit in my own upcoming woodlands + faerie + knights setting, which I will revise in 26 and replace all the art. Recent Midderlands stuff would probably work here fine. I will discuss the huge fat campagn book detailing hexes and 4 adventures later. Overall, it has one of the better faierie are creeps games ever done but still made them playable. Very inspiring stuff. Its been a good few KS campaigns come in recently. So much so I dont know anything coming out in the next year I want. Im sure that wont last. Big thanks the the game creators and local distro aetherworks (I think i know 2 staff). Only a few weird old rpg books I really want now, except gods of the forbidden north vol 3. Im sure comics or Cthulhu will tempt my wallet. The simplicity of this game is refreshing vs the ridiculous complexity and slowness of D&D5. It definitely ranks in the high top 10 of my favorite gaming settings. Im sure it will influence me.
Wonderfulbook not just of stats but lots of tables to use them, gossip, npc adventurers of various levels for npcs, other npcs, and normal animals. Inside covers have lots of encounter and other tables for quick reference. Each monster has 3 or so tables to generate traits and encounters. Its a good monster book with some unfamiliar and weird creatures.
Some Final Thoughts
There is lots to borrow and steal for other OSR games. Lots would fit in my own upcoming woodlands + faerie + knights setting, which I will revise in 26 and replace all the art. Recent Midderlands stuff would probably work here fine. I will discuss the huge fat campagn book detailing hexes and 4 adventures later. Overall, it has one of the better faierie are creeps games ever done but still made them playable. Very inspiring stuff. Its been a good few KS campaigns come in recently. So much so I dont know anything coming out in the next year I want. Im sure that wont last. Big thanks the the game creators and local distro aetherworks (I think i know 2 staff). Only a few weird old rpg books I really want now, except gods of the forbidden north vol 3. Im sure comics or Cthulhu will tempt my wallet. The simplicity of this game is refreshing vs the ridiculous complexity and slowness of D&D5. It definitely ranks in the high top 10 of my favorite gaming settings. Im sure it will influence me.
