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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Background information, review, and corrections,
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This review is from: Goldchester: More adventures in high fantasy (Paperback)
This is the last product in the High Fantasy role-playing game series.
It has several sections. It has author's notes for the background of Dillow's game world and what is left of the base town (Goldchester) that was used. It also has 4 other scenarios/modules/adventures: Castle Knot, Quest for the Champion, Quest for the Heart of Set Te Mu, and the Dehysic Canyon.) This review will be in two basic sections. The first section is from the view of a Judge/Game Master who wants to use the information to upgrade the second edition rules to a third edition-like form. The second section is from the view of Judge/Game Master who wants to upgrade/run the setting/adventures and one example of how players (somewhat strange) can act ("PCs actions:"). ----- It is recommended to scan and covert to text (for words) the whole book so that the information can be easily manipulated and incorporated in upgrading information in the rest of the High Fantasy rules. The information in the Goldchester section should be sorted and copy-pasted into the equipment and services section of the High Fantasy rules. This actually includes such things as the costs of alchemist weapons and ammo and what happens if they are used by others that lack their skills. Note that some of the costs differs from the rules due to the circumstances in the book (a conquered and damaged town with some services like the healers squeezing every last copper out of customers that can pay). There are mentions in the Castle Knot section and the Quest for the Champion that magic items could be made even by second plane wizards (though at risk and unfortunately no rules are actually given). There is also mention that (for the Champion's sword) that magic items could be made by allowing them to be possessed by spiritual or demonic beings. In a vault of the Castle Knot section and a magic sucking room in the Dehysic Canyon section (with the trapped dragon) there is some interesting references to iron and magic. Basically iron's presence can interfere with the flow of aether. This has no effect on manna itself. This interference in aether is not absolute as magic can manipulate iron (such as making magic items or many spells). If a room (or container) is lined in a solid layer of iron, then it can block all flow of aether into an area creating an effect like an Exhaust Aether spell or negative nexus point. There is a disagreement on how fast aether can flow to fill an artificial low point and how fast aether can be used up. At times it seems to make them seem to move very slowly, and other times moving at super-sonic speeds (and effects). The Judge will need to decide which is correct. In the Dehysic section there is an interesting implication that psychic powers do not use aether as the dragon was able to use them. An intriguing idea is to make a localized non-magical Exhaust Aether spell effect by using a box of iron. The Quest for the Champion includes example mercenary groups for use in the Lords of Conquest rules and an alternative battle rules that uses a concept called battle factors. ----- For Judges that plan to use the adventures/setting more directly there are a number of considerations to update/upgrade/edit the adventures. It is suggested to scan everything and convert to text for easier editing/copy-paste to other areas. The adventures are laid out roughly chronologically. Judge's should only introduce the adventures when the player characters are at least the beginning of the Fifth Plane and preferably at level 20 as the point of the adventures is to have the characters establish a permanent base(s) and fix the messes left behind by the original players (who were apparently fifth plane). If seasons are used, it is suggested that the beginning of the Castle Knot adventure be done in early Spring as the events in the Champion adventure is set during that time (and occurs about a week after the Castle). The continental map may need to be altered to match the Judge's needs. The text make most of the locations in this book within several days travel of Goldchester. One physical feature that "fixes" the others is that the Dehysic Canyon was an old river bed for the large river to the North-West. The area surrounding Castle Knot should be labeled as Alms (a religious/pilgrimage town set up by the former owner of the Castle). Somewhere South of Goldchester is where the Toros are from and a day travel or so is where the wind tunnel hills are located. Nautpolis should be noted as existing during the First Age and was a capital city during the Second Age that fought the budding empire in the Dehysic Canyon. Jerican should be noted as being a "merchant city". The "Shattered Rose Kingdoms" should be noted as being conquered, but by how much is uncertain. The Eastern Empire is also named as the Confederacy and the Blessed Kingdoms though only by those people and both labels are lies. Page 38 has the picture of a typical Western soldier and the symbols on the chest and shield are the general Western kingdom's symbol. Religion comes up a lot and may need to correlated with everything else. The Moorguard religion has a follower (who was at the Moorguard temple during the Second Age) appear in the Set Te Mu adventure. Some of the information is a bit buried. One part that needs to be considered is that one of the players could end up the center of a cult ("The Champion"). There is also the priests of the Set Te Mu who have some unusual powers. The Eastern Lords seem to have a cult relationship with their Master (who might be a demon or god). ----- Goldchester section should be re-organized and have the map printed out on a larger piece of paper and labeled. Judge's may want to consider how supplies (including water and food) move in and wastes move out (it is noted in one of the "blood pit" encounters later that Goldchester has sewers). Adventure hooks for the individual areas that pertain to other areas (like the Dehysic Canyon) should be noted and only occur when it chronologically makes sense and to send the players to them. Note that some areas are left for the Judge to develop. PCs actions: They (10 characters. 5 warriors. 3 wizards. 1 animal master. 1 alchemist.) did not want to have anything to do with it initially as the town is behind enemy lines and even as 20th level characters they would die against an army. It took an NPC that they befriended earlier (Tancred from Fortress Ellendar) and relayed the Castle Knot mission to do it. They disguised themselves and treated every entry into town as if entering a hostile territory that they had to conceal any action that might get the Eastern forces to attack them. Familiars were loaded with spells like Control, Illusion, ESP, Detect, Transmutate, Invisibility, Wall, etc.) (This depends on how the Judge handles the Familiar spell). The alchemist had previously rented laboratory space for making healing potions and acid potions. Treasure is stored in extra-dimensional space backpacks for portability. ----- Castle Knot. It needs a map of the surrounding area of Alms and its own outer territory and how the Temple of Eg is physically located in Alms. The territory of Castle Knot should be about 5 miles radius around the castle (important to note for the Champion adventure) and without the earth demon would support about 900 people in food (crops and livestock) and with the demon the food growing section should be able to at least support 1000 people. The whole point of Alms was to support the productivity of the land so there should be significantly more secured area for growing food than temple/religious area within that 5 mile limit (though Alms could include land beyond that 5 mile limit). The Eg temple is currently about 400 feet from the castle (If changed the Judge should consider how far Zarit is willing to walk back and forth, probably less than a mile). This further complicated by how there is apparently an opening a few hundred feet away from the Eg temple to a large group of trolls (given that they eat humanoids and would raid the surrounding area for food, this makes placement difficult). The Judge may also want to consider the logistics of how food, water, air, equipment, and wastes gets into and out of Alms, Castle Knot, and the priests of the Champion, the trolls, etc. There is also the additional complication that ambush area (which is reversed in East-West orientation) in the Champion adventure would have to be at most an hour or so travel to the West from Knot (a little over 5 miles). Some additional barns and storage areas would be needed to hold farming and harvesting equipment. The Castle and the other areas would need to be changed for ways to get things in (air, light, water, food) and get things out (wastes). All this information will be important for the Champion adventure if they end up with the castle and ruling over the area. One possibility could be to layout the Alms/Knot area like a spoked wheel with Knot at the hub and the wheel edge being at 5 miles distance. There would be a clear/growing area of about 300 feet around the castle, also every other space around the spokes would be castle farm/forest lands. the spokes and wheel edge would be roads. Every other space around the spokes and beyond the wheel edge could be temple and support areas. The trolls could have the tunnel entrance in one of the forest areas (done secretly for a raiding base). Another more simple layout would be to have it drawn as a circle (castle in the center, 5 mile radius) and split in North and South side. The North side would be for growing food. The South side would be more forestry for wood product. The... Read more ›
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