Simon Collins
Explorer
Beware! This review contains major spoilers.
This is not a playtest review.
The Goblin Fair is Airweaver Games' first foray into the d20 market. It is an adventure suitable for four to six characters of 4th to 6th level.
The Goblin Fair is a 48-page adventure coming in at $9.95, roughly average for its size and type. Font size is good, margins are fairly wide, and there are a few areas of white space including a full blank page at the back. The internal mono sketches are quite good, but I disliked the garish colours and comic-strip style of the cover art. The maps are fairly average computer-generated ones, scaled but with no compass direction. The writing quality is quite good, punctuated with humour and useful advice for the GM. Editing seems excellent (though there is a mistake on the back page - just desserts for calling the adventure setting the Oldainahan Forest - easier to say than spell).
The story surrounds an irresponsible wizard by the name of Brandon Mistcloak. Having annoyed an ogre mage (amongst many others) with his magical practical jokes, the ogre mage has stolen a book containing magical information on the defences of Brandon's house. Using the book, the ogre mage has trapped Brandon in his own house, and has left guards to stop anyone rescuing him. The PCs are magically contacted by Brandon, who asks them to go to the Goblin Fair of the title, to retrieve the book and help set him free. In return, he offers various monetary and magical rewards.
The PCs enter the other-dimensional Goblin Fair, where there is plenty of opportunity to roleplay with the various strange and amusing stallholders and fairgoers, including elves using goblins flung from catapults as archery practice, and a flock of very angry giant chickens. There is also some opportunity for combat. Hopefully the PCs discover the clues that lead them on to a couple more encounters with a giant and a pack of 'mice' in the giant's house.
Two new fey - the Arachnafee (an evil fey with links to spiders and darkness) and Hedge Fey (fey that take the shape of large, talking burrowing animals such as hedgehogs and badgers) are given in the appendix along with a summary of creature stats.
Conclusion:
This is a well-written and amusing adventure, focused on a fair in a magical dimension populated by fairy tale creatures such as goblins, elves, ogres, dragons, hags as well as the more traditional fey. In fact, the whole adventure has a humorous fairy-tale feel to it and should make a fun once-off adventure (though there is advice on creating further adventures based on the encounters given if the ambience appeals to you). There are a few minor mistakes in some of the stats and the style may not be everybody's cup of tea, but it should definitely provide a fun night or two's entertainment.
This is not a playtest review.
The Goblin Fair is Airweaver Games' first foray into the d20 market. It is an adventure suitable for four to six characters of 4th to 6th level.
The Goblin Fair is a 48-page adventure coming in at $9.95, roughly average for its size and type. Font size is good, margins are fairly wide, and there are a few areas of white space including a full blank page at the back. The internal mono sketches are quite good, but I disliked the garish colours and comic-strip style of the cover art. The maps are fairly average computer-generated ones, scaled but with no compass direction. The writing quality is quite good, punctuated with humour and useful advice for the GM. Editing seems excellent (though there is a mistake on the back page - just desserts for calling the adventure setting the Oldainahan Forest - easier to say than spell).
The story surrounds an irresponsible wizard by the name of Brandon Mistcloak. Having annoyed an ogre mage (amongst many others) with his magical practical jokes, the ogre mage has stolen a book containing magical information on the defences of Brandon's house. Using the book, the ogre mage has trapped Brandon in his own house, and has left guards to stop anyone rescuing him. The PCs are magically contacted by Brandon, who asks them to go to the Goblin Fair of the title, to retrieve the book and help set him free. In return, he offers various monetary and magical rewards.
The PCs enter the other-dimensional Goblin Fair, where there is plenty of opportunity to roleplay with the various strange and amusing stallholders and fairgoers, including elves using goblins flung from catapults as archery practice, and a flock of very angry giant chickens. There is also some opportunity for combat. Hopefully the PCs discover the clues that lead them on to a couple more encounters with a giant and a pack of 'mice' in the giant's house.
Two new fey - the Arachnafee (an evil fey with links to spiders and darkness) and Hedge Fey (fey that take the shape of large, talking burrowing animals such as hedgehogs and badgers) are given in the appendix along with a summary of creature stats.
Conclusion:
This is a well-written and amusing adventure, focused on a fair in a magical dimension populated by fairy tale creatures such as goblins, elves, ogres, dragons, hags as well as the more traditional fey. In fact, the whole adventure has a humorous fairy-tale feel to it and should make a fun once-off adventure (though there is advice on creating further adventures based on the encounters given if the ambience appeals to you). There are a few minor mistakes in some of the stats and the style may not be everybody's cup of tea, but it should definitely provide a fun night or two's entertainment.
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