soltakss
RQ Fogey
Registered: September 2007
Location: Birmingham, UK
Posts: 873
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Review Date: Thu February 14, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $30.00
| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Well formatted, Good HeroQuest and Mechanics, Good Background, Excellent Encounters/Mini Scenarios
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Cons:
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This has a very dark picture of a water-sprite with zapping magic fighting EWF magicians, not their best cover but not bad. Inside are many black and white illustrations of the customary high quality we have become accustomed to from Mongoose. The layout is clear and easy to read and overall this looks very nice. The cover was a bit warped but nothing that is really noticeable.
So, what's in it? Again, chapter by chapter …
Oh, yes, this is what is known as a "scenario". They are very rare, at least for Mongoose RuneQuest publications and it makes a nice change to review one. But, as a scenario, there will be things in the review that may well spoil the scenario. So, if your GM is planning to run Blood of Orlanth or is running a Second Age Campaign, then please don't spoil things by reading this.
If you are still with me then you've only got yourself to blame if I have ruined your game.
Introduction contains the central myth that drives the scenario and has potted summaries of the scenario from the viewpoint of each set of participants. It's short and informative, which is exactly what an Introduction should be.
Sky End Stead begins the scenario. The first part is for Orlanthi PCs and covers the Sky End Stead of the Howling Wolf Clan near Sky End Lake. Ot describes the clan and the notable people, ther local politics and some local places of interest. So, it's a nice mix of background, personalities and plot. The next part covers the start of the scenario for God Learner characters and covers some NPCs, a magical flying ship, some local places and plenty of plot. The scenario from the EWF viewpoint follows the same format with NPCs and plot. It feels less rich than the other sections, but perhaps that's because all the local areas have already been described. There is a map that is a bit dark but not overly so, the only criticism I could make is that it doesn't really give an idea of where Sky End Stead is - I had to look up the Solthi River on the internet to find out that it is in northern Heortland, East of the Shadow Plateau/Castle of Black Glass.
Along the Laughing River has another myth of the origin of the Solthi River and descriptions of the villages on the way. Each village has a map, a description, sketches of notable characters and some nearby places. There is a timeline for the scenario and plenty of plot points scattered throughout. Each section has a not of Victory Points that can be awarded and these are used later in the scenario. The Orlanthi Hospitality Rite is described and this becomes important later on, so players are advised to pay attention. The Deepwell Caves is a mini-heroquest that could be used for any Orlanthi campaign, even a Third Age one. So, this chapter is an interesting mix of travelogue, background and scenario and is very well done. It even has a magic item to be looted.
The Calm Before the Storm allows the PCs to catch their breath and rest between the first part of the scenario and the following parts. There is an assumption that something is going to happen, which is always dangerous for a GM, but it is a reasonable assumption. Oh, and there's a map of the region that shows where the Solthi River is, which should really have been on the first few pages.
Ashbringer's War follows the assumption that a rebellion will take place, so a GM has to engineer this off-screen if things didn't go to plan earlier on. It consists of a number of suggested encounters that depend on the Victory Points gained. Some encounters only happen to some parties, others happen to all parties. These look very good and it is a very inventive and original way of presenting a scenario. There are a few things that must happen for the plot to continue, but they are minor things for a GM to engineer. I enjoyed reading this chapter and it would be a good model for other campaign packs.
Sacred Time begins an Orlanthi HeroQuest that the Orlanthi must succeed in, the God Learners must take over and the EWF must disrupt. There are Victory Conditions showing who has won after the Rebellion and descriptions of possible foes on the Quest.
Orlanth Martyred is the Orlanthi HeroQuest and it's a good one. It has an interesting mechanic where deviations on the Quest cost Victory Points and any Questors who run out of Victory Points exit the Quest. This is an interesting idea and might work in other Quests. The individual Stations are well described and very complete. Possible results of players' actions are given and they seem to work well. Possible foes are also given with some exotics. This is one of the best HeroQuests I have seen written up.
Appendix I: Friends and Foes has short write-ups of sample NPCs and specific characters. These are all given as stats as the character descriptions are given elsewhere in the book. I haven't gone through all the stats in detail, but they look pretty good.
Appendix II: Travel in the Solthi Valley covers weather, wilderness travel and travel times And encounters. These are definitely useful and short.
Appendix III: Additional Cults has an Orlanthi cult and an EWF one. Orlanth the Martyr has a spell called Renew Hope that I can't find anywhere, which is a shame because the other spells are clearly described in etxt boxes.
So, overall, this is a very good scenario pack. It has an epic feel and is pretty crucial in the local area. There is a lot of mythical input but this is not overbearing. Even though it is linear in form, there are enough side plots and encounters that it would work as a scenario pack. The mini-encounters work really well and I would like more Mongoose scenarios to use a similar format. The maps are generally very good, although the HeroQuest has maps that are pretty irrelevant and the map of Heortland should have been on the first couple of pages.
Would I recommend it? Yes, I would for several reasons. First, it is one of the few RQ scenarios that Mongoose has produced. Second, it is has a lot of background. Third, it makes a very good scenario pack. Fourth, the HeroQuest is excellent and has some good HeroQuesting rules.
If Darra Happa Stirs is as good as Blood of Orlanth then I'll be happy. It makes up for the abysmal Rune of Chaos.
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Simon Phipp - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982.
Many Systems, One Family
RQ Merrie England (Medieval RPG): http://www.alephtargames.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=39%3Ahistorical&id=53%3Amerrie-england&Itemid=57 and http://merrieengland.soltakss.com/
RQ/BRP: www.soltakss.com/index.html
RQ Alternate Earth: Group: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/alternateearthrq/ Website: http://alternateearthrq.soltakss.com/
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Sabbak
Junior Member
Registered: August 2008
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Tue August 19, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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excellent difficulty and PC goal progression, well written, many hours of fun!
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Cons:
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maps sometimes too dark
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I've just finished "blood of Orlanth" and I must say: This is GOOD!
I'm not a speciallist of RuneQuest (having just played as player some adventures 20 years ago...) but this is not a problem here.
I'll give an overall 8.5/10!
Illustrations, including maps (x1) : 7.5
Story and background (x2) : 9.5
- BEWARE SPOILERS! -
I have especially appreciated the progressiveness (is it an english word?) of the campaign. You begin in a small village with petty goals and you finish in the HeroPlane impacting the fate of the world! In the middle? The PC have to manage a rebellion (with a very good, easy and logical Victory point system).
And you know what? Everything fits perfectly together!
I's a long time since I've read such a good adventure.
The possiblity to play three different side is very well managed even though I confess a strong preference for the Orlanthi side. But that's just my opinion.
Speaking about the artwork let's say that the cover is good, but not transcendental, but the interior maps are very sympathetic! The only problems is that:
* they are a bit dark
* sometimes the computer work (copy/paste and so on) is a bit too visible...
* some of the maps are not very usable (too small and giving no added value to the descriptions (mainly the Orlanth Stations in the last chapter).
The illustrations themselves range from quite good (mainly) to excellent (sometimes).
Thank you Mongoose and Gareth Hanrahan!
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