Dungeoneer
First Post
OK, time to wrap up this 'walkthru' of 13 True Ways.
Let's discuss the meaty NPC section.
This section doesn't contain rules for NPCs as such, but it does provide four extensive examples of how to stat out an NPC both as a potential ally and antagonist. The four NPCs were all submitted by Kickstarter backers, but they are all developed in interesting ways and none of them feels like a Mary Sue.
Each NPC gets a list of, surprise, thirteen rumors about them that may or may not be true. These basically serve as plot hooks and give the GM dramatic reveals that they can pull once the NPC has earned the party's confidence... or their ire.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Deck of Dread here. Although it doesn't get its own section in this book, it is referenced throughout, and three cards from the deck appear. The Deck is not a Deck-of-Many-Things kind of deal, rather...
Underkraken are pretty great, if you love tentacled abominations the way I do. Basically, the Underkrakens + Soul Flensers give 13th Age its own twisted aberrant threat. I won't say much more for fear of ruining it. But the cool thing is that this threat comes with its own mechanic in the form of Terrible Enlightenment points! If you were looking for a touch of Call of Cthulu in your 13A campaign, well, this is it.
The last section is a different threat, The Wild Garden. This is basically an upside-down flying ziggurat populated by plant life that is both alive and undead. This bizarre mix is the result of a confrontation between the Lich King and the High Druid and it should make a memorable dungeon for Champion tier PCs.
Both the Underkraken and the Wild Garden have the relevant monster stats in the section on monsters. In fact the Wild Garden is so detailed that it really only lacks a map to pick up and play.
And that's the end of the 'Grimoire' and the end of 13 True Ways. If you consider the number 13 unlucky you should avoid this book at all costs. If you consider 13th Age awesome, you should head over to Pelgrane Press and preorder it now.
Let's discuss the meaty NPC section.
This section doesn't contain rules for NPCs as such, but it does provide four extensive examples of how to stat out an NPC both as a potential ally and antagonist. The four NPCs were all submitted by Kickstarter backers, but they are all developed in interesting ways and none of them feels like a Mary Sue.
The NPCs are Sammy, a gregarious human male bard; Cecilia, a beautiful blonde female tiefling 'cleric of togetherness'; Sir Roland, Witchfinder, a human paladin; and Maudlin, a male gnome assassin for the Great Gold Wyrm. All four have lovely full-color portraits. In fact in my first post I described a piece of art near the beginning of the book as a 'beautiful tiefling commander'. That was incorrect; the tiefling is in fact Cecilia, who is a cleric.
Each NPC gets a list of, surprise, thirteen rumors about them that may or may not be true. These basically serve as plot hooks and give the GM dramatic reveals that they can pull once the NPC has earned the party's confidence... or their ire.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Deck of Dread here. Although it doesn't get its own section in this book, it is referenced throughout, and three cards from the deck appear. The Deck is not a Deck-of-Many-Things kind of deal, rather...
The three cards in the book depict the Devil of the Fangs as well as the two sections I'm about to talk about, the Underkraken and the Wild Garden.
Underkraken are pretty great, if you love tentacled abominations the way I do. Basically, the Underkrakens + Soul Flensers give 13th Age its own twisted aberrant threat. I won't say much more for fear of ruining it. But the cool thing is that this threat comes with its own mechanic in the form of Terrible Enlightenment points! If you were looking for a touch of Call of Cthulu in your 13A campaign, well, this is it.
The last section is a different threat, The Wild Garden. This is basically an upside-down flying ziggurat populated by plant life that is both alive and undead. This bizarre mix is the result of a confrontation between the Lich King and the High Druid and it should make a memorable dungeon for Champion tier PCs.
Both the Underkraken and the Wild Garden have the relevant monster stats in the section on monsters. In fact the Wild Garden is so detailed that it really only lacks a map to pick up and play.
And that's the end of the 'Grimoire' and the end of 13 True Ways. If you consider the number 13 unlucky you should avoid this book at all costs. If you consider 13th Age awesome, you should head over to Pelgrane Press and preorder it now.
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