Trail of Cthulhu 2e and Broken Empires

I try not to back funding projects (on Kickstarter and the like) that often these days. This is because I backed a few in recent years that I now kind of regret (e.g., Shadowdark, Dolmenwood, Old School Essentials, a bestiary from Goodman Games, and a couple of other things, the details of which I've already largely forgotten).  As they trickle in (many of my recent "regrets" still linger in the ether somewhere) I find myself sighing and -- after briefly flipping through them -- putting the print products on my shelf and the PDFs into my ever-expanding dropbox of RPGs. 

To be clear, the products themselves might be fine or even quite good. For instance, Shadowdark certainly has some interesting mechanics, some of which I'm on the fence about (but which, I concede, very well may be vindicated in practice). But the cold hard truth of the matter is that I just don't see using this game that much (if at all) in the near future, as well as the other RPG products that have trickled in over the past few years (e.g., OSE). 

Having said all that, there are two funding projects that I have decided to back, albeit at a reasonably scaled back level (for me). 

The first is the second edition of Trail of Cthulhu. Now, I already have a surfeit of Cthulhu Mythos material (including ToC, but mostly Call of Cthulhu books, some 7th edition but mainly material for earlier editions). However, I've played a couple of ToC scenarios and thought quite highly of them. Indeed, one was probably the best "one shot" horror scenario I've ever gone through. So I will be backing the current Trail of Cthulhu 2e funding campaign because of its innovative treatment of the setting and the high quality of the scenarios. I also love the ToC art. (Plus, I had a distinctly unpleasant "experience" with some of the "new Chaosium" folk around 2016-2017 -- no one involved with 7e CoC but rather the Moon Design folks -- which has put me off their products ever since. Hence, I'm happy to go elsewhere for new Cthulhu material.) 

If you're curious about Trail of Cthulhu, check out the 2e Quickstart.

The other project that I'm backing is the Broken Empires FRPG (albeit, again, at a lower level than I have backed projects in the past). I'm curious about the system, as Mythras is one of its main influences, and it aims to be a "sim-lite" game. This means, roughly, that the game falls within the "simulationist" camp -- that is, it is a game in the mold of Mythras, RuneQuest, Harnmaster, Rolemaster, Middle-earth Roleplaying, Against the Darkmaster, and the like. These kinds of games (which generally belong to the "d100" BRP and RM "families") vividly and precisely describe, via their mechanics, what happens in the game world, with hit locations (in Mythras and related systems) or critical hits (in Rolemaster, MERP, VsD, etc.), different levels of success for skill rolls, and so forth. My tastes, I've (re)discovered in recent years, definitely lie in the simulationist region of RPGs. But Broken Empires also claims to be "lite" by achieving a high degree of "simulation" with fewer mechanics, dice rolls, and calculations. I'm frankly a little sceptical about the latter claim, but the game overall looks interesting enough for me to want to include it in my collection. I'm especially intrigued by the "free form" magic system (roughly, there are no "spells," but instead spell-casters describe what effects they are trying to realize, and they draw upon their relevant skills in order to do so).  

These are somewhat niche RPG interests, I suppose, but I thought that I would mention these projects in case others might be interested in them.

The Tome of Worldbuilding from Mythmere Games

I thought I’d mention that Mythmere Games is running another kickstarter. This one is for a volume entitled The Tome of Worldbuilding. The title pretty much sums up what the book is about: “The Tome of World Building is written by ENNIE-award winning author Matt Finch, author of the critically-acclaimed Tome of Adventure Design. Using the Tome of World Building, you can create fantasy worlds quickly and fill them out with a wealth of detail from the random-generation tables in this book.”

While Mythmere Games is known primarily for its Swords & Wizardry retro-clone – my favourite game of the “Old School Renaissance” and the one that motivated me to start this blog over fifteen years ago – The Tome of Worldbuilding is system-neutral. This also is the case for the other book that is part of this kickstarter, The Nomicon, which provides “new tables for name generation.”

More information about the kickstarter is available here.

The art samples look really great. I’m especially impressed by the pictures by Kennon James, which evoke the style of the late great Dave Trampier, while still being original.

Mythmere Games does great work. Check it out!

Sale on issues 1-14 of Fight On!

As recently announced here, the Old School Renaissance fanzine Fight On! has returned to publication after a long sabbatical.

If you are missing PDF versions of the first run, issues 1-14, they currently are available in a bundle at Drivethru RPG for 50 percent off (34.99 USD). The sale will run until this Saturday (12 October 2024).

It’s great to have Fight On! back with us … and fighting on! 

The Main Problem with the Rings of Power series

So, the final episode was a mixed bag like the rest of the series. 

• The “Wizard” storyline ended pretty much as I expected (disappointing, lazy, and predictable). The story of the Istari belongs to the Third Age. There is no narrative reason for the writers to cram them into the Second Age (especially given that they already have too many other storylines to properly unfold). (But it looks like the proto-hobbits won't be around for next season? Or is that too much to hope?) 
• The Durin III conclusion made no sense. (He single-handedly managed to bury the balrog with a swing of his axe? And since the dwarves now know that a balrog lies beneath Khazad-dûm, why would they later “dig too deeply” and release it in 1980 of the Third Age?)
• The Númenor storyline feels forced and under-explained. (You would have no idea of the central role that the “fear of mortality” vs “faith” plays in the conflict between the “Kings’ Men” and “the Faithful.”) 
• The Adar story was a surprise and I found it moving. 
• A solid ending for Celebrimbor. (I like how he manipulated Sauron into killing him, thereby ending his torment.)
• Sauron/Annatar is a joy to watch whenever he's on the screen (the actor Charlie Vickers really captures the essence of the character). 
• And … how the hell is Gil-Galad the High King of the Elves? He’s portrayed as an indecisive doofus in the series.

Taking a step back and considering the series overall (both seasons), the MAIN PROBLEM with it is that it comes across as something written by people who are only familiar with the Peter Jackson films but have been given some notes and lines to use from the novels. It’s as if a group of people thought about what a cool “prequel” to the movies would involve, and, almost as an afterthought, were given a sheet with a list of things from the Second Age to mention as well. 

Sadly, The Rings of Power is not what a series that aimed to tell a story about some key events of the Second Age – as described by J.R.R. Tolkien – would look like. It is no wonder that people who actually like the writings of Tolkien find it so disappointing.

Finally, I assure you that this almost certainly will be my last post on this frustrating television series for some time (at least until the third season is imminent).

Rings of Power Season 2 Thoughts

Season 2 of The Rings of Power is definitely better overall than season 1. But the series remains, on balance, disappointing.

Below are some quick thoughts on RoP season 2.

Positive:

• The sets in both seasons are great. Ost-in-Edhil, Númenor, and (especially) Khazad-dûm look amazing.
• Many of the actors are quite good and are well cast for the characters they represent (e.g., Elendil, Annatar, Celebrimbor, Durin IV, Elrond, Miriel, Ar-Pharazôn). 
• I like the new character Adar and the nuance that he brings to the condition of orcs in Middle-earth (a topic with which Tolkien himself struggled throughout his life).
• The original character Arondir also is cool (and well-acted).
• The relationship and interactions between Celebrimbor and Annatar this season are quite compelling. Annatar’s “gaslighting” of Celebrimbor is well done overall, I think. (But I’m annoyed that the relationship unfolds over a period of months instead of decades.)
• The portrayal of Sauron (Annatar) this season has been excellent. 

Negative:

• I’m still really annoyed by the grossly compressed timeline. Smashing together events from the middle of the Second Age – the forging of the rings and the war of Sauron and the Elves – with events near the end of the Second Age – the fall of Númenor – irritates me to no end. 1700 years reduced to … 170 days?
• Not only does the compressed timeline make a mess of the history of Middle-earth, it creates too many storylines, none of which are adequately developed. E.g., Why is Númenor split between the Faithful and the King’s Men? Watching the show, you’d have no idea (aside from the prospect of “elves stealing jobs”!?!). 
• The “Wizard and proto-hobbits” storyline is terrible and pointless. It doesn’t even have a minimal connection to anything that Tolkien wrote. It’s an attempt by the writers to ram into the series a “Gandalf and the Hobbits” origin story. There already are too many storylines in the show and it definitely does not need this one. (The actor who plays the Wizard is quite good, though.)
• The scripts, especially dialogues, are often quite bad (albeit slightly improved from last season).
• Middle-earth feels too “small” in the series. Characters pop around the vast land (from Lindon to Ost-in-Edhil to Khazad-dûm, or from Pelargir to Ost-in-Edhil) far too quickly. (A great virtue of the original Peter Jackson trilogy was that it conveyed a real sense of the enormity of Middle-earth, the far distances and wildlands of the world.)
• Related to the previous point, the pacing always feels off, too rushed. 

Overall, I stuck with the second season primarily because of the Annatar-Celebrimbor storyline. While not perfect, I found it compelling enough to want to keep following it (in part because the actors are excellent). I also think that Elendil is a great character, but the Númenor storyline has been underdeveloped this season (and wastes time with silly tangents like the “sea worm” trial). I’ll reserve final judgement until after the final episode (this week), but so far, I’d give the second season a 6.5/10.

My grievances concerning 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons: a final statement

Let me start with some background about what “fantasy” means to me and hence what I generally look for in fantasy role-playing games (FRPGs).

I saw The Lord of the Rings animated movie when I was 9 or 10 at a repertory theatre. Then I read The Hobbit. That got me really interested in fantasy stuff. It’s what motivated me to then ask my parents for the Dungeons and Dragons Basic Set for my birthday. (It was the one written by Dr. Holmes – hence it had those annoying chits instead of dice.)

As an adolescent I became interested in other works of fantasy – especially, in the early-mid 1980s, Michael Moorcock and Robert E. Howard (along with a lot of related pastiche “Conan” stories) – because of D&D and AD&D. The “Melnibonéan Mythos” in the Deitites and Demigods was one of my favourites in the book even before I read anything by Moorcock. 

 

Given these influences, I would say that Tolkien, Moorcock, and Howard had the most influence in shaping how I interpreted D&D/AD&D when I got into FRPGs in the early-mid 1980s. (I eventually would go on to play games directly based on the writings of Tolkien and Moorcock; indeed, these eventually supplanted AD&D in my high-school group.) Perhaps this is why – more than any particular set of rules – the more recent Wizards of the Coast versions of the game leave me cold. Over the past 25 years the game has felt more like “fantasy superheroes” than the kind of fiction that I had associated with it – and, I suppose, still do, when I think of “classic D&D.”

Turning to my experience running a “World of Greyhawk” campaign using the fifth edition rules – and leaving aside the game’s overall “ethos” and “aesthetics” (including its unfortunate recent turn towards “twee”) – there are three elements of the game that especially came to vex me:

a. Its “superhero” “no-wounds-are-serious” system of rest and recovery; 

b. Its “unmagical” magic system; and

c. Its flavourless, often tedious combat system.

(For further explanation of each of these points, go to the posts to which I’ve linked above.)

I recently managed to sell most of my WotC 5e D&D collection (I kept the core rules and a few books I liked, such as Saltmarsh and Yawning Portal). I used a local used bookstore for the sake of convenience. It felt good to free up the shelf space. I don't know why I bothered getting most of those books originally – even when I was playing 5e, I barely used most of them. (I stopped buying WotC stuff years ago when I realized this, as well as the declining quality of the line.)

I will say this for 5e D&D: it’s far better than 3e was. I mean, if 5e D&D were the only FRPG available, I would play it – whereas I would just abandon the hobby if 3e was the only option. And I would not rule out occasionally playing 5e D&D in the future (say, running a game for a friend’s kids or something like that). And I would be happy to play the Middle-earth variant, The Lord of the Rings RPG (indeed, I greatly enjoyed that game’s predecessor, Adventures in Middle-earth, having run a successful campaign about seven years ago).

But as for my “main” FRPG, I’ll never use 5e D&D again. Hence, I don’t have any interest in the new 2024 books. There are just too many superior alternatives (including, of course, earlier editions of D&D/AD&D, and related “retro-clones” and “near clones”).

The Kirkyard of St Cuthbert

One of the reasons why I haven’t posted much here recently is that I spent a couple of weeks in Scotland in late August, followed in early September by a week of work in Manchester. I then returned to North America (first my permanent home in Toronto, then to my new temporary apartment in Chicago, from which I’ll be visiting Notre Dame University weekly as a research fellow at the Center for Philosophy and Religion until late May 2025). It’s been a busy time!

While in Edinburgh, I naturally visited the kirkyard of St Cuthbert. A saint in our own world from the 7th century, St Cuthbert also famously travelled to the World of Greyhawk (Oerth), where he became an important deity, a champion of law and order against the chaos and evil of vile Iuz. In fact, one of the characters from my recent Greyhawk campaign, Cedric the warrior cleric, was a priest of St Cuthbert.

Here are some pictures I took while visiting:

[The back of Edinburgh Castle. Our temporary accommodation was only a block from this view.]

[The cross in St Cuthbert's kirkyard.]

[The entrance to the kirkyard.]

[The view of the kirkyard from Ediburgh Castle.]

[Statue of David Hume. No relation to St Cuthbert obviously, but one of my philosophic heroes.]

Mythras and Against the Darkmaster news

Some quick notes on a couple of things for two of my favourite RPGS: Mythras and Against the Darkmaster.

First, Mythras. There is a new supplement for the delightful Lyonesse FRPG: Rogues, Rascals, and Rapscallions.

Here’s the announcement from the Design Mechanism:

A supplement for the Lyonesse roleplaying game – roleplaying adventure in the Elder Isles of Jack Vance.

Everyone loves a good villain, and the Elder Isles are full of them.

Rogues, Rascals, and Rapscallions is a resource to the beleaguered Games Master. It has a cornucopia of criminals, a superfluity of scoundrels, a mass of miscreants, and a surfeit of scallywags. The book is divided into five chapters, respectively covering ne'er-do-wells, cults, societies, places, and schemes, each accompanied by multiple stories that can embroil the characters in villainy, either as victims, witnesses, investigators or – heavens forfend! – perpetrators.

Packed full of scenario ideas, intriguing encounters, nefarious nemeses, and exotic locales, Rogues, Rascals and Rapscallions is a must for any campaign, be it Lyonesse or some other fine setting.

Hardcover POD & PDF ($35.99 and $12.99 respectively)

Colour & B/W

140 pages

Available now here.

As for Against the Darkmaster, it looks like the Game Master’s Guide will be available soon. 

From the folks at Open Ended Games:

We’re thrilled to announce that the Against the Darkmaster GM's Guide is nearly complete! This complement to the Player’s Handbook, covering the GM’s side and Bestiary of the Core Rules, will be available both as a Print-On-Demand (POD) and PDF on DrivethruRPG. Here’s a preview of the cover art by the always excellent Heraldo Mussolini to whet your appetite!

I love that the cover is from the perspective of the Darkmaster. Very cool!

While I adore the massive VsD tome, having slimmer Player and GM books is more useful for running the game, in my view – and obviously less expensive for players. (Also, holding the VsD core rules in one hand while running a session can be a bit tricky…)

Combat should be interesting

Combat obviously is an important element in most fantasy role-playing games. At its best, it’s exciting and dramatic. After all, the protagonists’ lives are at risk! And surprising things can happen – either because of chance (the rolls of the dice) or because of players’ inventiveness (or even inspiration on the part of the Game Master in the midst of a session). 

In the two campaigns that I currently am running – both using the Against the Darkmaster (VsD) system, one set in Middle-earth, the other in my home setting of Ukrasia – I rarely have more than one combat in any given session. Thanks to its “critical hits” system, combat in VsD can easily become quite deadly or debilitating, so players tend to avoid it when possible. Hence, two or more sessions (if not more) typically will pass between combats. I like this kind of pacing, as it ensures that when combat does take place, it is noteworthy and memorable.  

The two games that I play the most these days – VsD and Mythras – both have involved and colourful combat systems. While VsD has vivid critical hits, fumbles, and the like, Mythras has hit locations and exciting “special effects” (previously called “combat manoeuvres”) that allow for a wide range of tactical options, including defensive ones. They definitely are not “rules light” systems! 

Almost two decades ago (!), when I finally realized that I disliked 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons, I thought that that was because I disliked “rules heavy” FRPGs. But that wasn’t really the case. I’ve always liked certain “rules heavy” – or at least “rules medium” – systems, like Middle-earth Roleplaying and Stormbringer. What I disliked was how tedious the rules for 3e D&D were – both in terms of prep work and its combat system. Running and playing 3e D&D involved a lot of work – and there was very little pay-off for that, as combats in 3e were frequent but usually quite boring. For the most part, characters and their opponents were “blocks of hit points” that would be chipped away during combats that involved a lot of rather flavourless options (and ubiquitous, bland “attacks of opportunity”). 

The problem isn’t nearly as bad in 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons. But it’s still there: the game assumes that combat is common (which the DM can ignore, of course) and that it rarely threatens the lives of the characters (thanks to all their abilities, inflated hit points, “death saves,” and the like). (Yes, there are options to make the game more “gritty” and deadly hidden in the Dungeon Master's Guide, but the default mode is very much “fantasy superheroes,” wherein player characters rarely face serious risks.) Combat in 5e D&D is pretty dull in my experience – at least when compared to the alternatives with which I am familiar, such as Mythras and VsD.

So what my recent 5e D&D campaign taught me was that what I dislike are “rules heavy” or “rules medium” systems in which combat is insipid and (usually) not that risky (at least to the characters). I had to work hard to ensure that at least some of the combats in my campaign were novel. In contrast, no such work is needed for Mythras or VsD, given the intrinsic qualities of those combat systems. Even an encounter with some “vanilla” bandits or orcs can be risky and interesting.

That said, sometimes one doesn’t want to engage in a lot of book-keeping when running a game. That’s certainly fine. This is where older (TSR era) editions of D&D and AD&D shine (at least when one isn’t using all the rules outlined by Gary Gyax in the AD&D rules – which almost no one ever did or does). In old school D&D (and associated “retro-clones” like Swords and Wizardry, OSRIC, and Crypts & Things), combat is fast. So while it lacks the colourfulness and tactical depth of other systems, at least it rarely takes more than 20 minutes to resolve (unlike even trivial combats in 3e or 5e D&D). And of course, combat can be more deadly in older versions of D&D, given the lower hit points of characters, the absence of “death saves,” the relative rarity of healing spells, etc.

In short, my view is that combat should be either interesting or fast. One of my gripes with 5th edition D&D is that combat typically is neither (although sometimes it can be), at least in comparison to the other FRPGs that I play.  

On the Trailers for Season 2 of the Rings of Power

There have been two recent trailers for the next season of Amazon’s The Rings of Power series. One from Comic Con a couple of weeks ago (link) and the final one released before the second season starts on August 29th (link). 

For illuminating discussion of both, I recommend the commentaries posted by the “Nerd of the Rings” (here and here). I don’t watch that much on YouTube (or anywhere, really), but I do follow the NotR and have enjoyed many of his videos about Middle-earth history. I think that he’s been pretty fair about the series – he gave the first season a 6/10 (see his review here), which strikes me as about right. 

I had planned to post a proper review of season one myself, but I never got around to it. Suffice to say that I found it to be very much a “mixed bag.” The sets and scenery were top-notch: Númenor, Khazad-Dûm, and Ost-in-Edhil all looked absolutely amazing in my opinion. And some of the storylines were compelling (e.g., the Elrond-Durin relationship; the character “Adar”). But others were terrible (e.g., the whole “mithril-cures-Elf-cancer” storyline that the writers pointlessly invented; the portrayal of Galadriel’s character throughout the series). The writing was often disappointing if not cringe-inducing (e.g., Pharazôn’s “Elves-will-steal-our-jobs” speech), and the conclusion – with the lacklustre creation of the three Elven rings before any of the others – was not especially promising for the series’ future. Finally, the cavalier attitude of the writers towards Middle-earth canon – especially the compression of 1700 years of history into a few years for the sake of the series – still grates on me.

But I have to say that the two trailers (to which I linked above) have me somewhat excited to see how the second season turns out. A proper “Annatar-Celebrimbor” relationship would be great to watch (even if it unfolded absurdly quickly compared to Tolkien’s timeline). And I retain (probably a fool’s) hope that the “Stranger” will turn out to be a Blue Wizard rather than Gandalf. 

Even though the second season starts on August 29, I probably will not be able to watch any episodes until mid-September, as I’ll be busy with travel and work. But I’ll post my thoughts here one I manage to watch a few episodes. 

Fight On! Is Back

In the early days of this blog, when the “Old School Renaissance” scene was full of vim and vigour, a major player was the fanzine Fight On! It was a wonderful, eclectic, and somewhat chaotic journal, filled with fun scenarios, monsters, optional rules, and the like. I happily contributed a couple of articles back in the day (“Background Professions” to #5 and “The Duchy of Briz” to #7).

After a decade of enchanted sleep, Fight On! is back with issue #15. Here’s the blurb from the editor Ignatius Umlaut:

Ten years later, we are back from the dead to Fight On once more! These revenant runes are just as jam-packed as you remember with classes, monsters, spells, magic items, rules mods, homebrews, and awesome adventures in the spirit of the eldritch era of fantasy roleplaying! Dedicated to seventies D&D legend J. Eric Holmes, this issue brings together old and new stalwarts alike to celebrate our 15th issue and new beginning! With art and articles by J. Eric and Christopher Holmes, Tom Gordon, Calithena, Gabor Lux, Jeff Rients, James Maliszewski, Kesher, Pete Mullen, Cameron Hawkey, Zach Howard, Alex Schroder, Richard Rittenhouse, Settembrini, Patrick Farley, Jason Sholtis, Robert Conley, Kelvin Green, Philipp H., Attronarch, Mitzi!, and many more, this is the first of our new forays into fanzine fame and glory! Ride that wyvern while the sun is shining, and keep Fighting On!

My life with roleplaying games started with Dr. J. Eric Holmes’s Basic Dungeons & Dragons set back in 1980 (the one with chits instead of dice). So I’m especially keen to check out this issue!

[Picture by Peter Mullen from FO! 15]

Trampier and Amthor inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame

There is something called “The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design Hall of Fame.” It has existed since 1974 and includes many important game designers and artists. 

Since the Hall of Fame encompasses contributors to wargames, card games, and boardgames, as well as role-playing games, a lot of the people listed at the AAGAD Hall of Fame website are unfamiliar to me. But within the RPG world, there are many true legends.

In 2024, two people who have had a lot of influence on me during the many decades I’ve been involved in RPGs were inducted.

David Trampier – my favourite FRPG artist of all time (rivalled only by Angus McBride) – is now a member of the AAGAD Hall of Fame.

 

And Terry Amthor – a key contributor to the Middle-earth Roleplaying, Rolemaster, and Shadow World lines of Iron Crown Enterprises (Amthor was the primary author and creative force behind Shadow World, to which he contributed until his death) – also is now a member. (My current Ukrasia campaign draws heavily upon an early work of his, The Court of Ardor.)

Sadly, both Trampier and Amthor have passed away. But their contributions live on, and I am profoundly grateful to both of them for what they accomplished. 

Mythras Imperative Contest

From the recent Design Mechanism newsletter:

We’re excited to launch a brand-new competition for all Mythras enthusiasts and budding creators! 

The TDM ORC Imperative Contest celebrates the ORC open license, which includes the Mythras Imperative and Classic Fantasy Imperative rules released under it. Entrants are invited to send a submission between 2,000 and 10,000 words that creatively utilizes the Imperative rules and one or more assets (a descriptive paragraph, an image, or a map) that we provide.

The submission can be whatever you can imagine: a scenario, a setting module, a mini-campaign, or anything in-between. Entrants can pick any genre, any time period, or create something completely new and unique.

To view all the requirements, check out the Submissions Pack.

What do you stand to gain? Let’s talk about the prizes!

First Prize gives the winner a finished document they can immediately distribute for sale if you choose. This means that the TDM Production Team takes your submission, edits, proofreads, crafts a layout, and equips it with interior and cover art for the winner’s idea to make it a reality.

Those who manage second and third places will get various levels of artwork that help get you on your path to completion of your project.

The TDM ORC Imperative Competition is now open! You must be a Newsletter subscriber to enter with a chance of winning one of these glorious prizes! You can subscribe to the Newsletter on our website https://thedesignmechanism.com/

So, get your thinking caps on, dig out those old notebooks, and brainstorm with your gaming group! 

Here’s your chance to create some fantastic material using Mythras Imperative and the ORC License that gets that professional touch.

I’ll add that submissions due by 30 September 2024. Good luck to all who enter!

Somewhat related, this post does a good job of comparing Mythras and Basic Roleplaying (versions of both of which are now available with the ORC license).

Dungeons and Dragons 2024: the Twee Edition

This picture of the Dungeon Master’s “tracking sheets” for the forthcoming 2024 version of Dungeons and Dragons (edition 5.5?) pretty much confirms that this incarnation of the game is not for me:

A happy cute pink beholder adorning a “Campaign Expectations” sheet, which includes “Potentially Sensitive Elements” and “Player Hopes and Expectations.” Ugh.

Okay, to be fair, not all the new art is “twee” like this.  

But as I’ve said before here, I'm done with the current version of D&D. I had a fun time running a 5th edition D&D campaign – but that was despite the system not because of it. (And I ended up using some significant house rules to make it tolerable.) However, I will give 5e credit for being a lot less tedious than 3e.

Thankfully, neither of my two gaming groups is that interested in playing 5e (or 5.5e or whatever the 2024 “revision” ends up being called) D&D. One group includes a few people who actively dislike D&D (all versions) while the other group includes people who like 5e but are happy to play other things instead. So, unless I end up running some contemporary D&D as a favour for someone outside of my regular gaming groups in the future, I’m done with the Wizards of the Coast versions of the game. 

I haven’t bought a new WotC D&D book in a few years now, as their quality seemed to decline sometime after Ghosts of Saltmarsh. The 2024 revisions look pointless to me. I understand the need to make $$$, but the changes (to my knowledge) move the game even further away from what I want.

(I'll confess that I’m mildly curious to see what is done with the “World of Greyhawk” in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. But I certainly don't "need" any more Greyhawk material.)

Anyhow, if you want some more information about the new versions of the core rulebooks, this article provides an overview (it includes some of the new art as well).

Against the Court of Urdor – Part 3

Triumvir Town, Dawnfell, and the Crystal Glade

        [Kiren]                                    [Einar]

February 1000 2AH (Second Age of Humanity): 1st – 7th. 

(A recap of the adventure so far.)

In Part 1 of this tale, our protagonists – Einar Quicksilver, the Green Elf scout of Koronande, and Kiren Hammerstone, the Dwarf animist of the Halls of Pale Steel – were compelled by the malevolent Tantûraki wizard Zepheus to infiltrate the barrow of the Green Elf Prince Berethil. The ghost of Berethil, however, helped to free the adventurers from Zepheus’s control. In return, Einar and Kiren vowed to return the White Crown of northern Taaliraan to the prince’s sister, Queen Blàithnaid. Doing so, Berethil believes, will release him from his ghostly existence, as he had cravenly stolen the crown an eon ago, thereby greatly weakening his sister during the Great War that ended the last Age.

In Part 2, as Einar and Kiren fled the spider-infested jungle of the Weblands and entered the Cursed Lands, they encountered some members of the Company of the Morningstar: the Kirani ranger Karos, the Hathorian wizard Evrix, and the Tantûraki scout Zephyr. After helping the trio in their hunt for Zepheus by informing them of the whereabouts of the necromancer’s camp – and receiving valuable information and aid in return – Einar and Kiren travelled to the small settlement of Korlax’s Haven. There they agreed to help the bard Blarth recover his silver harp from a vile band of redcaps. Alas, poor Blarth was slain by a ghoul in the process, but the heroes freed two prisoners from the redcaps: the doughty half-orc Krumm and the flighty pixie Neriss. They also found Blarth’s silver harp and magical “pouch of loaves.” 

[The Cursed Lands]

February 1000 2AH: the 8th and 9th days.

Kiren, Einar, Krumm, and Neriss spend the day travelling to Korlax’s Haven, arriving in the small settlement in the late afternoon. En route, Einar notices a large black bird following the party from a distance. At the Storm’s End Inn, Old Wakkim mentions that Blarth’s family lives in the town of Misty Vale to the north and suggests that the dead bard’s silver harp be returned to them. 

The next day Krumm thanks Einar and Kiren for his liberation, telling them that they will “always have a friend in Thraz,” and departs. The Blue Elf herbalist Aethelia is saddened to learn of Blarth’s death and (like Wakkim) encourages the duo to go to Misty Vale to inform his family and return the harp. Einar asks Aethelia if she knows anything about Queen Blàithnaid. In addition to confirming the information that the two had gained from the Company of the Morning Star a few days earlier, she tells them that after creating the Lake of Mists by opening a gate to Faerie – and thereby destroying much of the assembled armies of both her foes and allies – the Queen created the Young Treelands to the north of her former realm (thereby creating a new barrier against Tantûrak).  

Kiren asks Aethelia if she knows anything about the ancient Court of Urdor. The Blue Elf shares what information she has: the Court served the Night Elf Queen Everekka during the Era of the Elves. This, however, is not new information for the party. Neriss, though, mentions that many of her people – along with numerous gnomes, merrows, and other Fey folk – fled to the distant island of Awallon to avoid the war amongst the elves over 3700 years ago.

[Neriss the Pixie]

Later that day the party departs Korlax’s Haven and travels north to Castle Triumvir. (The fortress was once known as “Castle Gloomfist” and held by orcish brigands. Two decades ago, though, an Arsilonian mercenary leader from the northern isle of Aldena – known only as “Lord Triumvir” – drove away the brutes with his soldiers and claimed the surrounding lands for himself.) 

There is a decent inn that lies in the shadow of the castle – The Moon’s Song – where the three travellers stay for the night. Neriss continues to pass herself off as a young Green Elf in order to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

February 1000 2AH: the 10th day.

[Triumvir Town]

Kiren, Einer, and Neriss reach the small hamlet of Triumvir Town before noon. They go to the Evening Feast inn, which is run by the friendly halfling innkeeper Marda “Fair Voice” and her five nieces and nephews. Also at the inn is a Kirani traveller, Jabbo “Far Walker,” who warns the travellers of a band of brigands, “the Dread Wolves,” that operate in the region near Dawnfell. Jabbo also mentions that many of the gorcrows of Urdor once served as the “Eyes of the Autarch” back during the First Age of Humanity. Perhaps they now serve the “Magician” of Tantûrak or his servant Zepheus?

[Jabbo the "Far Walker"]

Einar and Kiren meet with the reclusive Arsilonian loremaster Xerric later in the afternoon. The Green Elf makes a favourable impression, and a fruitful discussion ensues. Like his former employer Lord Triumvir, Xerric hails from the northern isle of Aldena and holds no loyalty or fondness for Tantûrak – indeed, he expresses disgust at the mention of Zepheus. He confirms that many gorcrows do indeed serve the Autarch, or his followers like the Magician and Zepheus, and often are dispatched to investigate disturbances in the Ethereal winds caused by the use of magic. 

[Xerric the Loremaster]

When asked about Queen Blàithnaid, Xerric restates many things already known by the duo. However, he mentions a strange island in the midst of the Lake of Mists and suggests that the Queen may dwell there. The island, he warns, is said to have a strange will of its own and thwarts anyone who attempts to land on it. Einar and Kiren thank the loremaster for his hospitality and assistance, and promise to inform him of anything they learn about Blàithnaid or the Lake of Mists in the future.

Returning to the Evening Feast inn, the travellers enjoy a fine meal. Marda flirts playfully with the slightly astonished Kiren. 

[Marda "Fair Voice"]

February 1000 2AH: the 11th and 12th days.

The party reaches the small village of Dawnfell in the late afternoon of the 11th. Two guards wish to prevent entry by Einar and Neriss, both of whom they identify as Green Elves, but Kiren manages to convince them to let them in. The three travellers then proceed to the village’s only inn, the Staff of Hathor. There they are greeted warmly by the Hathorian innkeeper Olga, who shows them to a private booth. She tells them that the village’s leader, Brynjar, has been hostile towards the Green Elves of the nearby Crystal Glade since the death of his daughter years ago. Olga also mentions that the village artifact – the “Dawnchime” – recently has been stolen. The Dawnchime helps keep the village safe from the trolls that infest the nearby jungle, the Wilder Woods. Apparently, the sound of the chime causes great agony to any trolls who hear it. Now that it is lost, the villagers fear an attack by the savage brutes any day. Brynjar blames the nearby elves for the theft. Olga implores the party to speak with the folk of the Crystal Glade to help resolve the situation. She also mentions the threat posed by the Dread Wolves and the presence of many menacing gorcrows in the region over the past year.

The next morning the party is rudely awoken by a band of guardsmen, who apprehend the party and bring them before Brynjar. The leader or “Thane” of Dawnfell is a grim looking Hathorian of middle years. He takes Neriss prisoner and demands that Einar and Kiren recover the Dawnchime for the village. Brynjar is convinced that the artifact is in the possession of the “Emerald Wardens” of the Crystal Glade, and hopes that Einar, as a fellow Green Elf, will be able to obtain the item from them. Distressed, the duo agrees to the Thane’s terms, and depart for the jungle. 

[Brynjar]

The two heroes begin to follow the trail that runs through the Wilder Woods, connecting Dawnfell to the Tantûraki village of Xarith on the coast. Einar soon spots a cabin to the south. They investigate and find it to be abandoned. It looks like it was once the home of a wood and plant gatherer. Inside, Einar finds a sapphire broach in the shape of a butterfly; it is clearly of elvish craftsmanship. The two then locate the wood gatherer’s map, although Kiren is stung by some wasps while doing so. Several locations are indicated on the map, including the Crystal Glade and the base of the Dread Wolves. It would seem that the wood gatherer disappeared recently – perhaps he was a victim of the bandits or some unwholesome beast? Worried, the adventurers return to the path.

By noon the two adventurers are approached by two Green Elf warriors. One of them, Ferris, agrees to take them to the Crystal Glade. The village is protected by a high wall of interwoven tree branches, roots, and trunks. A bright blue brook flows through the centre. Most of the people live high within the trees – much as do the folk of Einar’s hometown of Tauronde. One especially impressive tree, which has no dwellings upon it, is an Elbrinth tree, which is composed of mystical white wood and widely revered by the elvish people. (The last time Einar had seen such a tree was upon the burial mound of Prince Berethil, where two stood in silent vigil.)

[Nuriel]

The adventurers meet with the leader of the Emerald Wardens, Nuriel. This is the first time that Einar has met his cousin – during his fifty years of life, he had not ventured far beyond the borderlands of Koronande, and Nuriel had not journeyed to Tauronde during that time. But Einer knew well Nuriel’s mother, Yvenna. His aunt was a dear friend of his parents and had been an important scholar in Tauronde for many centuries. The initial reason for the duo’s journey to the Cursed Lands was so that Einar could deliver news of Yvenna’s assassination – by means of a mysterious poison – to her daughter, as well as his aunt’s cherished jade necklace.   

Greatly saddened by the news of her mother’s death, Nuriel thanks Einar and tells the adventurers that they should consider the Crystal Glade a safe haven for the rest of their days. She gives them accommodation in one of the many tree dwellings of the village. After news of Yvenna’s death spreads throughout the settlement, a beautiful, melancholic dirge is played by the Green Elves.

Nuriel informs the duo that the folk of the Crystal Glade have no knowledge of the whereabouts of the Dawnchime. She also provides the elvish perspective on why Brynjar loathes the Emerald Wardens so intensely: twenty-five years ago, Brynjar’s daughter Brynna was accidentally slain by one of the elvish hunters, Elva. The Thane subsequently had Elva tried and executed. Ever since that tragic incident, the folk of Dawnfell have been estranged from the Green Elves who were once their allies.

Over some refreshment, Nuriel informs Einar and Kiren of more recent troubles. The Crystal Glade had been protected for many years by a magical gem called the “Dragon’s Eye.” Recently, though, a band of vile trolls assaulted the village and stole the gem from the “Wyrdwood Tree” – the Elbrinth tree that the duo had noticed earlier. The Wyrdwood Tree had protected the Dragon’s Eye since its arrival in the Crystal Glade. Somehow, though, the trolls had broken through the village’s root wall and knew exactly where to find the gem. While most of the trolls were slain by the Emerald Wardens, one did manage to flee into the woods with the Dragon’s Eye, as he was assisted by a large murder of gorcrows that blocked any immediate pursuit. Without the magical gem, the village lies vulnerable to the vampires and other malevolent entities that dwell within the terrible Wilder Woods.

The two heroes spend the rest of the afternoon looking about the village. They encounter a strange creature named “Grizzy” helping the Green Elves repair the damage caused by the trolls to the root wall and Wyrdwood Tree. Grizzy (whose proper name turns out to be “Grissilfildun”) explains that he is a gnome animist. After a brief chat, it is discovered that Grizzy is from the same Fey enclave as Neriss. Upon learning of his pixie friend’s imprisonment, the gnome becomes quite upset and worried. He implores the adventurers to liberate Neriss and bring her to him. He also agrees to share some of his animist lore with Kiren. The two short bearded animists get along quite well.

["Grizzy" the Gnome]

The pair meet Nuriel for dinner. Einar and Kiren relate in greater detail their many tribulations since leaving Tauronde. Nuriel recalls Prince Berethil, as she was herself a young soldier during the war that ended the last Age. She expresses great bitterness towards the prince for his treachery – but is impressed by the duo’s quest to return the crown to Queen Blàithnaid. She also is grateful to Einar for investigating the poison that caused her mother’s death. 

Nuriel tells Einar and Kiren that the elves have tracked the troll who stole the Dragon’s Eye to a nearby ruin, which is known as the “Broken Temple.” The Emerald Wardens are wary of entering it, as it is a place that was once holy to the Tantûraki, and the Green Elves find human religious buildings unsettling. Nonetheless, they know that the troll is still there, most likely with some allies.   

The three infer that there must be some connection between the recent thefts of the Dragon’s Eye and the Dawnchime. Perhaps the Dread Wolves are cooperating with the trolls? 

They interrogate a Dread Wolf brigand that had recently been imprisoned by the Emerald Wardens. Using his magic, Kiren senses that the brigand – a Kirani woman named “Agandis” – radiates darkness. She is in league with servants of the Darkmaster!

After some persuasion and negotiation, Agandis agrees to reveal everything she knows, so long as Nuriel vows to let her go. Nuriel agrees, but with certain conditions. The prisoner will be freed only once both the Dragon’s Eye and Dawnchime have been recovered, and must take an oath to never engage in banditry or serve the forces of darkness again. 

With promises exchanged, Agandis explains that a deal had been arranged between the Dread Wolves and the trolls. The bandits agreed to steal the Dawnchime from Dawnfell. One of their minions – a farmer named Hamrick Tallowfoot – serves as a spy within the village. The trolls desire the Dawnchime because it prevents them from being able to attack the village. In return, the trolls agreed to steal the Dragon’s Eye. The gem is sought by the employer of the Dread Wolves – the dread necromancer Zepheus! It seems that the Tantûraki wizard has long sought the ancient elvish artifact. Agandis then tells the adventures about the various traps located around the Dread Wolves’ camp, and an enchanted pendant used by their leader, Vargus, to ignite fires. 

Exhausted by a long day of travel, investigation, and interrogation, the duo retire to their tree platform for the night.

Notes:

The master page for the World of Ukrasia and this campaign is here.

The “Court of Urdor” setting (including the central part of the island) draws upon – but significantly modifies – ICE’s 1981 Court of Ardor campaign module by Terry Amthor. The map of the “Cursed Lands” is from the module’s main map, by Peter Fenlon. (I added a number of new locations to the “Cursed Lands” map – it should be obvious which ones are not part of the original map.)

The map of Triumvir Town is from the ICE campaign module, The Cloudlords of Tanara, by Terry Amthor. (I added the labels.) 

The picture of Einar is from the Neverwinter Nights CRPG (as is the picture of Marda). The picture of Kiren is from the Baldur’s Gate Enhanced Edition CRPG. The pictures of Jabbo and Xerric are from a “mod” for the BGEE CRPG. 

The picture of Brynjar is the Silence of Dawnfell adventure. The picture of “Grizzy” is from the Secrets of the Golden Throne rules and campaign book. Both books are for the Against the Darkmaster RPG, and published by Open Ended Games. 

Queen Blàithnaid is from the Against the Darkmaster core book. Nuriel, Brynjar, and other materials concerning Dawnfell and the Crystal Glade are from the Silence of Dawnfell adventure for VsD. I have extensively modfied both adventures for this setting and campaign. The map of the Dawnfell region is my own but draws upon the version found in the book.