Dark Mistress
First Post
Tales of the Old Margreve by Open Design
This product is 113 pages long. It starts with a cover, ToC, and credits. (4 pages)
Next it moves into a IC tale about the forest. Which was very nice. (2 pages)
Old Margreve Gazetteer (14 pages)
It starts with a intro on why the authors made the book and the intent of the book. I found it a interesting read and found myself agreeing. After that it gets into talking about the forest, it is broken up into three section the East, West and Central area's. After talking about each section of the forest it talks about each heart in the area. Heart you ask? Why yes the forest is alive in it's own way.
Magic in the Margreve (4 pages)
This section talks about how magic works different in the old forest and how magic can effect the forest. It talks about each school of magic on their own, metamagic, and special magical locations in the forest. Then it gets into new spells, 6 new spells.
Feed the Forest – A druid spell that feeds magical energy to the forest.
Porevit's Mantle – Makes you look a bit like the forest to give stealth bonuses.
Snap the Leash – Undomesticates animals. Making them never remember being anything but a wild animal. Horses refuse to be ridden etc.
Spy My Shadow – Can see what your shadow see's. It stays attached to you, but you can stretch it out to 10 times your own height and direct it where you want.
Steps like Me – You tracks look like another creatures close to your size. This one I believe means you have to target the creature you want to copy but with how it is written I am not 100% positive.
Yarila's Bounty – Gain regeneration in direct sunlight, after a long time become fully rested.
Druids get access to 5 of these spells, Wizard/Sorc and Witch gain 3 spells, and Rangers 2.
This section ends with 3 new Incantations.
Oldwood Rite – Make the forest accept you at least for awhile.
Stories that Wolves Tell – For awhile gain the ability to speak to and understand wolves.
Wisdom of the Old Ways – This is actually 5 minor ones rolled into one, Each is done the same way. Each of them either had a +1 boon for a short while to something or a -1 to someone for a while.
Margreve Bestiary (12 pages)
There is 12 new monsters in this section. I won't get into details on each other than to say they fit the Grimm Tales feel the product was inspired by. Below is a list of the monsters.
Ala
Child of Briar
Alsied (deer centaur)- rules to use them as a PC.
Green Hussar
Leshy
Myling
Rusalka
Sap Demon
Suturefly
Vila
Zmey
Zmey Headling
Next it has the mini adventures of the book. The book is have source book and half adventure book. There is no way for me to go into detail on the adventures, as that would make this review several pages long.
Hollows (9 pages)
The PC's arrive in a small village and find it has problems. There is really three problems the PC's can help the village with. It was well done and a nice intro adventure for the Margreve. 1st level adventure.
The Honey Queen (9 pages)
The PC's are offered a job to travel deep into the forest to trade the honey queen for some of her honey. This one starts out simple but can become very interesting for the PC's. 2-3rd level adventure.
Challenge of the Fang (9 pages)
This is a twist on a old Grimm's Tale. The PC's are chosen by the Margreve to take part in a challenge between two opposing factions. I won't say more and spoil it but I really liked this one.
2-3rd level adventure.
The Griffon Hatchling Heist (9 pages)
This one is cute and funny. The PC's are asked by a talking cat, yes I said cat. To go and rescue some Griffon egg's from some bandits that took over a tower the griffons use to use as a hatchery. 5th level adventure.
Gall of the Spider Crone (11 pages)
The PC's are tasked with saving a life by retrieving a magical jug. I can't really say more with out spoiling this one. 6th level adventure.
Blood and Thorns (11 pages)
Coming to a village during a wedding which gets interrupted the PC's learn bad things are happening in the forest around the village. Setting off to fix the problem, they discover a new power in the forest growing raising a new army they must stop. 7th level adventure.
Grandmothers Fire (8 pages)
Something was stolen from Baba Yaga and she has cursed the whole forest that no fire shall burn until the item is returned. The PC's go off to find and return her object to her so that she will left her curse. This one has a nice twist that I just loved. 8-9th level adventure.
The Lustful Dragon (9 pages)
The PC's return to the village in the first adventure. Only to find a Zmey threatens to destroy the village if a girl is not turned over to him. Can't the PC's save the girl and the village from the Zmey before it is to late? 10th level adventure.
It ends with a OGL and back cover. (2 pages)
Closing thoughts. I really liked this book. I love the old Grimm's Tales this book is inspired by. The forest is interesting and with the adventures given you could take PC's from level 1-11 with only needed one or two filler adventures of your own. I wish I could talk about the adventures more but I don't want to spoil them. The art work ranges from good to very good, layout, editing, presentation is all very good. I honestly only found two flaws with the whole book, one is minor and the other … well I will get to it.
The first one is for the spell Step Like Me, is not 100% clear. The second problem? I want more a lot more. More information about the forest, the things in it, spells, and adventures. I really hope they eventually come back to this book and do a follow up. If they do I will sign up as a patron for the first time ever and will likely sign up the next time RL allows that they do a project that perks my interest. So whats my rating? Well lacking the ability to find something wrong I have to give it a 5 star. I should note I am a bit biased, I love Slavic folklore and Grimm's Tales which are the things that inspired this book.
This product is 113 pages long. It starts with a cover, ToC, and credits. (4 pages)
Next it moves into a IC tale about the forest. Which was very nice. (2 pages)
Old Margreve Gazetteer (14 pages)
It starts with a intro on why the authors made the book and the intent of the book. I found it a interesting read and found myself agreeing. After that it gets into talking about the forest, it is broken up into three section the East, West and Central area's. After talking about each section of the forest it talks about each heart in the area. Heart you ask? Why yes the forest is alive in it's own way.
Magic in the Margreve (4 pages)
This section talks about how magic works different in the old forest and how magic can effect the forest. It talks about each school of magic on their own, metamagic, and special magical locations in the forest. Then it gets into new spells, 6 new spells.
Feed the Forest – A druid spell that feeds magical energy to the forest.
Porevit's Mantle – Makes you look a bit like the forest to give stealth bonuses.
Snap the Leash – Undomesticates animals. Making them never remember being anything but a wild animal. Horses refuse to be ridden etc.
Spy My Shadow – Can see what your shadow see's. It stays attached to you, but you can stretch it out to 10 times your own height and direct it where you want.
Steps like Me – You tracks look like another creatures close to your size. This one I believe means you have to target the creature you want to copy but with how it is written I am not 100% positive.
Yarila's Bounty – Gain regeneration in direct sunlight, after a long time become fully rested.
Druids get access to 5 of these spells, Wizard/Sorc and Witch gain 3 spells, and Rangers 2.
This section ends with 3 new Incantations.
Oldwood Rite – Make the forest accept you at least for awhile.
Stories that Wolves Tell – For awhile gain the ability to speak to and understand wolves.
Wisdom of the Old Ways – This is actually 5 minor ones rolled into one, Each is done the same way. Each of them either had a +1 boon for a short while to something or a -1 to someone for a while.
Margreve Bestiary (12 pages)
There is 12 new monsters in this section. I won't get into details on each other than to say they fit the Grimm Tales feel the product was inspired by. Below is a list of the monsters.
Ala
Child of Briar
Alsied (deer centaur)- rules to use them as a PC.
Green Hussar
Leshy
Myling
Rusalka
Sap Demon
Suturefly
Vila
Zmey
Zmey Headling
Next it has the mini adventures of the book. The book is have source book and half adventure book. There is no way for me to go into detail on the adventures, as that would make this review several pages long.
Hollows (9 pages)
The PC's arrive in a small village and find it has problems. There is really three problems the PC's can help the village with. It was well done and a nice intro adventure for the Margreve. 1st level adventure.
The Honey Queen (9 pages)
The PC's are offered a job to travel deep into the forest to trade the honey queen for some of her honey. This one starts out simple but can become very interesting for the PC's. 2-3rd level adventure.
Challenge of the Fang (9 pages)
This is a twist on a old Grimm's Tale. The PC's are chosen by the Margreve to take part in a challenge between two opposing factions. I won't say more and spoil it but I really liked this one.
2-3rd level adventure.The Griffon Hatchling Heist (9 pages)
This one is cute and funny. The PC's are asked by a talking cat, yes I said cat. To go and rescue some Griffon egg's from some bandits that took over a tower the griffons use to use as a hatchery. 5th level adventure.
Gall of the Spider Crone (11 pages)
The PC's are tasked with saving a life by retrieving a magical jug. I can't really say more with out spoiling this one. 6th level adventure.
Blood and Thorns (11 pages)
Coming to a village during a wedding which gets interrupted the PC's learn bad things are happening in the forest around the village. Setting off to fix the problem, they discover a new power in the forest growing raising a new army they must stop. 7th level adventure.
Grandmothers Fire (8 pages)
Something was stolen from Baba Yaga and she has cursed the whole forest that no fire shall burn until the item is returned. The PC's go off to find and return her object to her so that she will left her curse. This one has a nice twist that I just loved. 8-9th level adventure.
The Lustful Dragon (9 pages)
The PC's return to the village in the first adventure. Only to find a Zmey threatens to destroy the village if a girl is not turned over to him. Can't the PC's save the girl and the village from the Zmey before it is to late? 10th level adventure.
It ends with a OGL and back cover. (2 pages)
Closing thoughts. I really liked this book. I love the old Grimm's Tales this book is inspired by. The forest is interesting and with the adventures given you could take PC's from level 1-11 with only needed one or two filler adventures of your own. I wish I could talk about the adventures more but I don't want to spoil them. The art work ranges from good to very good, layout, editing, presentation is all very good. I honestly only found two flaws with the whole book, one is minor and the other … well I will get to it.
The first one is for the spell Step Like Me, is not 100% clear. The second problem? I want more a lot more. More information about the forest, the things in it, spells, and adventures. I really hope they eventually come back to this book and do a follow up. If they do I will sign up as a patron for the first time ever and will likely sign up the next time RL allows that they do a project that perks my interest. So whats my rating? Well lacking the ability to find something wrong I have to give it a 5 star. I should note I am a bit biased, I love Slavic folklore and Grimm's Tales which are the things that inspired this book.
