Rebirth of a dark flame...

[Neggarroth]

Hi all, long time fan of SotK site days and been living
Ravenloft for as long as i can remember..

Went into hibernation on that night the site was laid
to rest.

Decided it was about time i came out of hibernation,
got some of the old gaming group together again...

Wow there's been some changes!!! I'm currently
trying to get my hands on all the new material,
and frantically reading what i have managed to
grab so far.

I was reading through a list of core AD&D books
at a site i order from and found a book called
HERO'S of HORROR with the discription

All players and DMs need to play and run
a horror - orientated campaign, or intergrate
horror elements into an existing campaign.....

Has anyone got this book ?

Is it any good ?

I may be way out here but it sounds like WotC trying
to cashing in on the Ravenloft thing with out going to the
trouble of taking the whole line back on board..... ???


.......... Ravenloft always

[alhoon]

I like it.
Some of the rules are covered by Ravenloft in other ways (taint vs power checks) but some make nice additions to Ravenloft.
Also the book has some cool feats and the very nice Archivist core class.
Cool spells
It gives enough in the way of inspiration (the grandmother is good for example) and offers some new maps.

It is D&D however, not Ravenloft. So we also get:
- Prestige classes (some are good, some not good)
- Terrain: We now have extensive rules on how to move on Graveyards, what's the DC to jump on a tombstone and fight from there, what is the percentage of tombs in a cemetary etc. Nice, but not that useful IMO.
- An uber-powerful necromancer core class that is the most powerful class I have seen in all the D20 games I have ever played.

About Mood: It gives some good info how to run a horror-based campaign, but not as good as the Ravenloft books do.

[Neggarroth]

Cheers alhoon, i think i'll add it to my ever growing list

[alhoon]

Remember: A good D&D book, but as for techniques of Horror, nothing you wouldn't know or surprising.

But it has a hefty table with unnerving tricks and a table with evil NPC quirks.

[Joël of the FoS]

Add my names to the recommendations. It's good read and inspirational for Ravenloft.

Joël

[Jonathan Winters]

Welcome back!

Heroes of Horror is on my Christmas list... It sounds pretty decent.

If you have been out of the loop, grab all you can get from WW for 3rd edition, since they're not printing them anymore...

BUT, I don't think you should buy Champions of Darkness (or Dorkness as some people have called it) or Heroes of Light. Very weak, unravenloft books...

RL Player's Handbook is the Campaign setting in a new dress...

You don't need Secrets of Dread Realms if you buy the RL DM(strong book IMO).

Then you should really get the Gazetters if you want a grand tour of the Core. They are all amazing, even if the 4th one might be a bit weaker because they cover 5 domains instead of the usual four in it.

The new VR Guides are all very good depending on your interests.

VR Arsenal is still one of my favorites books, three years after it came out!

Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends: a how-to guide on adventure building with what are really five thinly dsiguised adventures. Pretty good book with one major miss in it ("To Inherit Eternity" which really needs re-working, but still has interesting things in it).

Legacy of the Blood: Very good book to introduce PCs as member of Darklords families. Specific Prestige Classes and Feats to each family.

Get the new Tarroka deck: It's beautiful!

I hope this helps!!!!

Patrick

[Keith Senkowski]

I may be way out here but it sounds like WotC trying
to cashing in on the Ravenloft thing with out going to the
trouble of taking the whole line back on board..... ???

Don't have much to add about the book. It is, I think, a good application of the core DnD system to heroic horror.

WotC isn't so much trying to cash in on Ravenloft as they are continuing a trend of small core book add ons. It is simply another in the series, which so far has been pretty well done, from what I have read and purchased myself.

Keith

[Neggarroth]

Cheers everyone, and thanks Patrick for the guide.

i went through the book reviews before i started ordering
and got pretty much the same idea about what to get and
what to avoid (or at least get later).

I'm totally hanging out for the Gazetters !!! I'm a little
worryed though cause there all on back order and i'm
starting to think i might not get them all...

tell you what its great to be back into it again though.

I was wondering if anyone could tell me where to start
gathering information on running the 'return of Azalin'
as i want to start planting seeds early in my new campaign
and have it a background thred.

I know there is some information in Gaz 2 about it.
would that be all i need?????

i would also be interested in how the rest of you ran it
as i'm sure there would be some interesting
interpretations...

[Jonathan Winters]

Christmas too busy...

But here is an outline from John W Mangrum. And I forget what it says in Gaz II... But yes it is probably helpful...

Death Undaunted (Intrépide Mort)

Introduction
For the Dungeon Master
What Has Gone Before
Adventure Synopsis
Dramatis Personae
The Drowning Dreams

Prologue
Scene One: Enter the Heroes
Scene Two: The Doom Prophet
Scene Three: Silent Sentinels

Act I: Into the Land of the Dead
Scene Four: The Shrouded Realm
Scene Five: Enter Famine
Scene Six: Friends and Foes
Scene Seven: No Escape

Act II: Better to be Loved
Scene Eight: Martira Bay
Scene Nine: The Overseer
Scene Ten: The Cosmopolis Club
Scene Eleven: Enter War
Scene Twelve: Tavelia’s Crypt
Scene Thirteen: Dead Man’s Chest
Scene Fourteen: Where All Roads Lead

Act III: Castle Avernus
Scene Fifteen: A Desperate Chase
Scene Sixteen: Enter Pestilence
Scene Seventeen: At the Gates
Scene Eighteen: Within the Keep
Scene Nineteen: The Throne Regained
Scene Twenty: Denouement

Epilogue
Death Victorious
Tavelia Victorious
The Heroes Victorious
Once and Future King
Last edited by John W. Mangrum on 11-20-03 at 11:38 AM

I hope this helps your creativity!

Patrick