The British contribution to Dungeons & Dragons is quite distinctive. UK2: The Sentinel is the first of a two-part series, which has the party recovering a magical artefact, a glove, designed to protect a keep from being destroyed by its evil counterpart, a gauntlet. Yes, it’s quite an unusual set-up – and on a pretty small scale as well, which fits in with the character … Continue reading AD&D Review – UK2: The Sentinel
The adventure in Temple of Death is the second and final part of the Desert Nomads series. I mentioned in my review of the first part, Master of the Desert Nomads, how that adventure felt very much like a classic Swords & Sorcery tale. This adventure continues in that vein. However, whilst Master was primarily set in a barren desert, much of this adventure is … Continue reading D&D Review: X5 Temple of Death
This isn’t a brand-new review; I’m just archiving it on my blog for those who missed it in my original posting on rpggeek.com The third part of the D (Drow) series brings the pursuit of the drow to a close. Finally, in this adventure, they find from where the drow originated – and it’s an astonishing place. Unfortunately, the execution of the Vault does not … Continue reading AD&D Review – D3: Vault of the Drow
Last night, Sarah, Tim, Michael, Jon and I played two games of Republic of Rome, an awesome board game originally published by Avalon Hill and later republished by Valley Games. We were using the Valley Games version. It’s a long game and is best played with five players, but seeing that we had five players and that I had it in my car, Sarah leapt … Continue reading Republic of Rome – an awesome board game
David Cook had previously shown his love for Sword and Sorcery tales in the first couple of Slave Lords adventures and, especially, in Dwellers of the Forbidden City, which has a specific debt to Howard’s Red Nails. Master of the Desert Nomads is, for me, Cook’s most successful venture into the Sword and Sorcery genre. Conan or Hawkmoon could quite easily be imagined as the … Continue reading D&D Review: X4 Master of the Desert Nomads
Sarah, Michael and I had our first game of the new Nations board game yesterday. Sarah and Jon, upon seeing what was in my possession, were not surprised: I’m a sucker for Civilisation games, and this one has been getting a moderate amount of buzz on BoardGameGeek.com. It is quite expensive. Even with the recent MilSims sale, it had still cost me over aus$100, and … Continue reading A first look at the Nations board game
If there is one adventure that really shows how different and ambitious the UK division of TSR were, it is this one. Published in 1983, Beyond the Crystal Cave is notionally in the World of Greyhawk, although the world it evokes is one that would be unfamiliar to most players of D&D at the time. Indeed, the entire adventure would feel unfamiliar, as it moves … Continue reading Review of AD&D module UK1: Beyond the Crystal Cave
One thing was certain, that the rules of naturalistic adventure writing had nothing to do with it: — it was Gary Gygax’s desire to do an adventure based on Lewis Carroll’s works, and Lewis Carroll’s best writing came from taking ideas found in his (and our) world and twisting them to be amusing and possibly satirical. And, when Gary Gygax became involved you got an … Continue reading Review of AD&D adventure EX2: Through the Magic Mirror
Horror on the Hill was published in 1983, and is one of Douglas Niles’ early works for Dungeons and Dragons. Niles, a wargamer, would contribute significantly to the Dragonlance series in a couple of years, and then write several Forgotten Realms novels. I’ve already covered two of his adventures, Against the Cult of the Reptile God and Curse of Xanathon. His early work has a … Continue reading Review of B5: Horror on the Hill
The new year has begun with a burst of reading, much like 2013 did. And so the first and second of January were spent mostly reading the eight novels written by Julie Kagawa, which fit vaguely into the category of paranormal fantasy or urban fantasy. As more and more people write in the field, it really begins to stretch; it’s pretty easy to tell where … Continue reading Days of Reading – Julie Kagawa
