With the huge emphasis on community ties in both mechanics and flavor, it's quite appropriate that Heroes of Tara would add more structural support to the Social pillar of 5th Edition. What follows are 9 new mini-games for just such occasions, ranging from competitive sports like Hurley to trials under Brehon Law. While all of these mini-games make use of ability checks, there's more involved rules to flesh them out beyond a mere series of opposed d20 rolls. Beyond the social acclaim, these encounters typically grant experience point awards to every participating PC equal to 100 times their character level, or the CR value of other contestants for more "hands-on" minigames such as hurling and racing. There's also mechanical benefits that go along with this too, such as Curadmír's winner gaining various immunities and an increase to their hit point maximum for 1d4 days or gaining payment for services/judgment rendered for a Brehon trial.
The book also suggests for GMs to allow players to take the role of one or more NPCs if their PCs wouldn't ordinarily participate in the mini-game. This is both to encourage group involvement and give the GM less characters to juggle…provided of course that the players can be trusted to not self-sabotage for the benefit of the PC player! For the more open-ended mini-games such as Brehon Law and Druidic Ceremonies, we have sample d12 tables that provide the details and stakes of the mini-game in question.
Curadmír, or Champion's Portion, traditionally takes place at great feasts where various attendants (usually warriors) compete for the best cut of meat via a series of boasts and one-upmanships by regaling the crowd of their exploits. Each competitor has a pseudo-health score known as Confidence Points, where those reduced to 0 admit defeat and withdraw. There are five kinds of actions a contestant can perform: for example, Flourish can deal multi-target damage, but a failure causes the performer to take damage themselves due to looking foolish; Overbear, meanwhile, can cause another contestant to lose their next action. Each action requires its own accompanying skill check which is rolled against a static DC.
Bardic Competitions are exactly what they sound like, involving two or more contestants that don't necessarily need to be of the Bard subclass. Instead of attempting to wear down their opponent's morale, the contestants are competing to win the attention of the crowd via an Acclaim Score, and the first one to reach a score of 30 is the winner. Much like Curadmír there are 5 unique actions which require accompanying skill checks against a static DC. Bardic Verse and Performance are useful of course, but other skills can come into play. For example, Upstage uses Insight to read the mood of the audience in order to steal the spotlight from another contestant and impose disadvantage on their next ability check.
Brehon Judgements are Ériu's primary means of legal resolution, ranging from small-time disputes to high-stakes trials for serious crimes. This minigame involves 3 people: two are the litigants representing opposing sides in a legal dispute, and the third is the judge. Much like Bardic Competitions, one doesn't need to be a Brehon to take part, but proficiency in the Brehon Law skill is a necessity and thus it's not unusual for chieftains, kings, and nobles in general to serve as judges should the need arise. The litigants' goals are to influence the judge in their favor, while the judge must remain impartial and weigh the evidence and arguments in order to come to a fair ruling. The Judge rolls an Investigation check to determine their Bias, while the litigants have Influence Scores which they accumulate via successful actions. If a litigant's Influence score reaches the Bias, they win the encounter. The judge fails if a litigant manages to reach said score, and their goal is to reduce the Influence of both litigants back to 0, at which point the judge can issue a verdict via a Brehon Law check. A success ends the trial, but a failure causes the trial to extend and a new round begins.
Litigants do not have actions. Instead, they choose from one of 3 rhetorical arguments in secret: an appeal to emotion, logic, or tradition, and the judge chooses the same also in secret. At the end of the round, both litigants roll 1d4 to see how many Influence Points they gained, and those who chose a complementary style of argument roll an additional 1d4. The judge has 3 action types to use that either impact the litigants' ability to gain Influence or gain advantage on their own future ability checks.
Druidic Ceremonies are entreaties by druids and other mystically-inclined characters to beseech the spirits and gods to come to their aid. This mini-game requires the use of someone proficient in Druid Lore serving as the beseecher, and at least 2 NPC spirits. The spirits have their own goals and desires, meaning that the beseeching mortal must provide adequate attention to each of them in order to work together for the ceremony's completion. The mini-game begins with the beseecher rolling a Nature check to determine the Placation Score of the spirits, and if any of them reach 0 in this score the ceremony's a failure. Every round the spirits take damage to their Placation Score representing them losing interest, and the beseecher wins the encounter by raising the Placation Score of each spirit back to its original value or higher, at which point they can seal the ceremony with a final Druid Lore check. Much like Brehon Law, a failure of this roll extends the ceremony by another round. Spirits do not have actions, instead they have whims which are determined in secret (benevolent, cruel, or mischievous) and the beseecher chooses from one of the three whims to placate a spirit; successful guesses causes the Placation Score for a spirit to raise instead of lower that round. As for the beseecher, they choose from 3 action types that can recover or forestall Placation Points or gain advantage on future ability checks.
Fidchell is the first of our four sports-related encounters, being a board game played among all social classes. It was invented by the god Lugh, and the mere act of playing it has been known to supernaturally manipulate elements of the world in a variety of ways, particularly in regards to the movement of the game's pieces representing current and future events. While fidchell is most often played for leisure, some folk often place wagers, which are legally binding and those who refuse to abide by the results risk suffering a curse.
Unlike other mini-games in this chapter, Heroes of Tara provides rules and guidelines for playing the game for real. It is similar to chess in that it takes place on a grid. One player serves the role of defender, where they have 8 pieces guarding a 9th piece representing a king, all arranged around the board's center. The other player serves as the attacker, using 16 pieces arranged around the outer parts of the board. The attacker must capture the defender's king in order to win by surrounding it on four sides, while the defender wins if they manage to move their king piece to the outer edge of the board. The book's default suggests that players and GMs play the game for real, but an alternative for "quick play" turns it into opposed Intelligence checks via a best of 5 skill challenge. Sleight of Hand can be used to cheat by shifting any piece by 1 space (shifting the king rolls with disadvantage), or instead grants advantage on their next Intelligence check if being done as a skill challenge.
Hurling is a physical sport that originated among the Gaels but has become popular among all of Ériu's people. The game involves two opposing teams, with the specific number varying widely but it is widely agreed that they should be evenly matched. A ball known as a sliotar is used to score points. It can be carried in one's hands but can only be passed to other players by striking it with a hurley stick to soar through the air, or physically wrestled out of a rival team member's possession. In order to gain points, a player must hit the sliotar to target the rival team's goal post. The game is won when one of the teams reaches a certain threshold of points first, with the winning threshold determined by participants before the game starts.
Unlike other mini-games in this chapter, the mechanical rules for hurling straightforwardly follow 5th Edition's combat rules when it comes to positioning, turn order, ranged attacks with the sliotar, and other such things. Needless to say, it is not a lethal mini-game, with the only permitted attacks being ones with hurley sticks and sliotar. While class features based on physical prowess are permissible to use, magic is considered a form of cheating. It is also against the rules to use armor and shields.
Racing is self-explanatory, which in Ériu are typically either foot-races or chariot races. They largely borrow the existing rules for actions and combat in 5th Edition, but movement is more abstracted than tracking individual 5 by 5 foot squares. A d6 Racing Event Table is rolled on for each contestant that imposes some form of challenge that can cause them to lose a certain number of feet of movement on a failure, although one positive event of "Find Your Wind" grants 1 extra Dash action. The Dash action can only be used a number of times equal to a Contestant's Constitution modifier for the whole race. It's also not considered cheating to use nonlethal physical force on the competition, represented as an unarmed attack that can cause the defender to lose 10-20 feet of movement. Chariot races usually don't use scythed wheels, and if they do then everyone must agree to their use ahead of time.
Tossing is another sport mini-game, and is the simplest of all of them at being only half a page long. It's a straightforward competition where contestants lift and throw heavy objects, and whoever throws the farthest is the winner. This is represented as contested Athletics checks, with tied results resulting in either a tie or a rematch and thus a reroll.
Troscud is our final mini-game, an alternative "last resort" for people who feel failed by the traditional system of Brehon Law. Mortal and immortal folly and bias, discrepancies in wealth and influence, and bribery, threats, and other underhanded means are just as much a fact of life in Ériu as they are anywhere else. Barring taking the law into one's own hands or trial by combat, troscud is a recognized tradition that anyone can invoke. The invoker of troscud is known as a petitioner, who undertakes a fast from sunrise to sunset outside the door of the one they are accusing of wrongdoing. The petitioner is only allowed to leave and eat after sunset, but can only have one meal of bread and water a day, and must return to the accused's home door by sunrise no matter the weather or other circumstances. The accused person is under obligation to not harm or drive away the petitioner, and must also fast as well. However, the accused is under no expectation to invite the petitioner into their home as an exception to the usual laws of hospitality.
Troscud is an activity that requires significant mental and physical endurance, to say nothing of the disruption to daily life and labor, so it is not undertaken lightly. The intent is that if a person feels strongly enough that they've been wronged and traditional legal avenues have failed them, then to do this shows that their grievances must be serious. Additionally, the petitioner's continued presence draws the attention of the accused's neighbors, and if asked the petitioner must clearly explain their grievance. Should the accused attempt to drive away the petitioner or break their fast, this is seen as an admission of guilt, and if they refuse to take their case to a Brehon after admitting defeat they are declared an outlaw and the petitioner can freely inflict one curse of their choice upon the accused. If the petitioner violates the fast, they will not only have their case dismissed but also endure a huge amount of social shame for abuse of a sacred tradition.
Troscud formally ends when either the petitioner or accused ends their fast first. If the accused admits defeat, they must take their case before a Brehon judge. If the petitioner admits defeat, the case is considered honorably dismissed and resolved. If fasting results in one party starving to death, the survivor is the winner and entitled to claim a portion of the deceased's wealth.
The book notes that this last mini-game is unlikely to happen in a typical campaign where the PCs frequently wander, so those who invoke troscud against practitioners of nomadic lifestyles treat anywhere the accused lairs as the door of their home. The petitioner can not only follow them on their travels, but can end up spreading word of their accusation to multiple communities. Of course, unscrupulous sorts can still kill them between settlements. In game mechanics, troscud takes the form of a Constitution save to avoid gaining levels of exhaustion every 3 + Constitution modifier days. These levels are only healed after the fasting is concluded and by eating a full day's worth of food.
Thoughts So Far: With how combat-heavy default 5th Edition is, I am always a fan of attempts to strengthen the Social and Exploration pillars. The mini-games for Heroes of Tara not only do this, they also draw upon existing sports and traditions that keep things grounded in the historical fantasy aspect. However, I can see them being adopted easily enough for other settings. Of the mini-games presented, my favorites are Hurling and Curadmír. I am more iffy on Brehon Judgement and Druidic Ceremonies, as the juggling of high and low points and the guessing game-based resolution feels less straightforward than the others which abide by a straightforward "whoever reaches X number first wins/loses."
Comprising 85 pages, the 14 Appendices are significant enough to take up around a quarter of the book. They mostly cover subjects that couldn't easily fit in the aforementioned chapters, ranging from a pronunciation guide, inspirational material, and even a hex map of Ireland with 3 variations.
Appendix A: the Kingdoms goes over the five major human polities of Ériu. Midhe is the most populous kingdom, and due to being the holder of Tara and the High King as well as the most religious sites, it is considered to be the most "civilized" area on the island. Its ruler, Cormac Mac Airt of Clan Siol Cuinn, is a beloved ruler known for his wisdom and sensible policies.
Ulster is a fractious yet martial kingdom where the Warriors of the Red Branch are headquartered, and King Conchobar Mac Nessa of Clan Ulaid is a brave yet impulsive exemplar of his people. The men of Ulster all bear a unique curse once every three days of the year, where they experience the pains of a woman in labor. This curse is widely known, and Ulster's enemies often take advantage of this to plan their attacks on the kingdom.
Content Warning: Miscarriage
The curse stems from Ard Macha, Queen of the Aes Sidhe, who fell in love with a human of Ulster. Her husband bragged that his wife could outrun the king's horses, and Conchobar forced her to compete against his stallions. She was deep into pregnancy at the time, and although she won the race this caused her to have a miscarriage on the race track.
Connacht is the home of most Fir Bolgs, set aside for their residence as part of the treaty that ended the war between them and the Tuatha De Danann. It is home to the Gamanraide, a notable warrior lodge exclusively made up of Fir Bolgs. The kingdom's ruler is a woman by the name of Meabh Nic Eochaid of Clan Connachta, known for her inspiring words and frequently argumentative but strong relationship with her husband. Connacht's capital, Cruachan, holds a portal to the Otherworld from which monsters occasionally come forth. No permanent means of closing the portal has yet been found, so the caves are a proving grounds for monster slayers across Ériu.
Munster is isolated from the rest of Ériu via dense forests, with much of the settled land in the south. Boundaries between the mortal world and Overworld are thinnest here, and its king Cu Roi Mac Daire of Clan Erainn is a man rumored to possess superhuman strength and a variety of magical abilities. The defenses of his fortress definitely have magic, for the building seemingly rearranges itself to confound attackers, such as pushing away ladders off its walls during a siege. The Deaghaid, the warrior society that the king leads, are also rumored to have Formorian ancestry.
Leinster is a coastal region home to the most fortified settlements in Ériu. This is due to their location making them a favorite target for pirates, and the hinterlands are full of outlaws. Its ruler is Mesgregra Mac Datho of Clan Laigin, who despite having some of the best counsel available from a genius wife, is wracked with worry due to his land's many dangers. He makes use of a mercenary group known as the Deisi made up of exiled outlaws from other kingdoms. A magical hound known as Aibe is one of the king's most famous supernatural defenders, and has bested many of Ériu's finest warriors.
Appendix B; the Sidhe Mounds details 10 of the most prominent underground settlements of the Aes Sidhe and Daoine Sidhe. Bru na Boinne is governed by the Tuatha De Danann, being a splendid mansion that exceeds even the most magnificent mortal counterparts. It is a frequent meeting place between not just the gods, but also the High King of Ériu who brings a portion of tribute here as part of the fulfillment of old treaties. The other nine mounds are governed by chieftains of the Sidhe people. Some of the more interesting ones include Sidhe ar Femen, which appears more like a friendly inn occupied by both mortals and faeries and whose innkeeper is Bobd Dearg, the only Aes Sidhe to rule over the Tuatha De Danann as High King. He now finds life as a disguised innkeeper more satisfying. Ailech Neit is a mighty fortress containing the burial cairns of countless Children of Danu; Sleacht Abhartaigh, whose ruler is a Daoine Sidhe sorcerer who needs to sustain his existence on the blood of the living and his mound is filled with undead servants. Lough Lein is an underground community beneath a lake, which is home to the leprechaun blacksmith Len who is second only to the god Goibniu in craftsmanship. He is a predictable perfectionist, and often throws his "flawed" works across the horizon where they land in the mountains in southern Munster, making the place attractive to treasure hunters.
Appendix C: the Gods discusses not just the Tuatha De Danann, but also notable nature spirits of Ériu as well as the gods of various foreign peoples. The Ériu-specific entities get the lion's share of content, with the outlanders having brief writeups at most. The book notes that the gods provided here are not meant to be all-encompassing, instead focusing on the most prominent and well-known ones. For instance, we have Danu, the creator goddess from which the rest of the pantheon is descended, and the honorable warrior Nuada who is a role model for all manner of leaders and statesmen. Then there is Manannan, the seabound guardian of the Otherworld who isn't a sociable being, but his dominion over the sea makes him frequently come into contact with seafaring mortals. Dian Cecht is the pantheon's foremost physician, practiced in not just the healing arts but all manner of poisons, and slew his own son Miach for regrowing Nuada's lost arm. Many believe this was vengeful jealousy for accomplishing what his father couldn't, but others believe this was due to his son practicing some forbidden art to regrow the arm in the first place.
As for the independent spirits, they are a combination of primordial entities who claimed sovereignty of specific concepts since the beginning of time, while others are ascended mortals. Their relationship with the Tuatha De Danann varies on a case-by-case basis. The more well-known ones include Tailtiu, who worked to the point of death to repair the land and is still honored for this to this day; Tethra the feared King of the Formorians, whose realm includes the darkest reaches of the world's caves and oceans; the wicked Crom Cruach, who demands blood sacrifice in exchange for not starving mortal settlements by stealing harvested crops; and the Cailleach, or Crone of Winter, the embodiment of cold and disease who wanders the mortal world disguised as an old woman with the strength to move mountains.
Most outlander deities are from neighboring Celtic cultures, such as Arawn, a deity of the Britons who rules over the afterlife of those people in the Otherworld. Or Tautatis, the warrior god of the Gauls who failed to protect his people from the Romans and bent his knee to their gods in shame, but still does what he can to watch over those who still venerate him.
The gods of the Germanic tribes are much less known to Ériu in comparison. The most that is known is that their deities are warlike even by the island's standards, and the people of Lochlann (Scandinavia) worship two warring clans of gods known as the Aesir and Vanir.
As for the gods of the Roman Empire, they don't just make up the traditional Olympians, but also the gods of other civilizations conquered by the empire. These gods are given permission to continue ruling over their people, provided that they act as vassals to the Roman Empire. The exception is among the Hebrews, who reject the existence of all other gods but their own, and a small but vocal sect follow a prophet named Jesus Christ. But the Abrahamic deity, as well as the gods of the farther-flung reaches of the Roman Empire and beyond, are so distant that the people of Ériu know almost nothing about them.
Appendix D: the Otherworld is known as Tir Na Nog in Ériu, and Annwn by the Britons. The Otherworld is imperceptible to mortals, yet close enough that its influence is ever-present. As the home of faeries, gods, and other beings, it is also the afterlife of sorts for mortal souls. Many Otherworld societies have striking similarities to mortal governments, and the portion of the Otherworld covering Ériu is also an island. But one cannot mistake it for somewhere else in the mortal world, for the land itself is a strange place. Time, distance, and other objective, immutable concepts are different here, and its size and scope is far more vast than the mortal world. There are several major realms of the Otherworld that are of particular importance to Ériu's mortal and immortal peoples, such as the Well of Knowledge which is a body of water from where all life and enlightenment flows, guarded by Nuada and where Danu sleeps. Or Tir Taingire, also known as the Land of Promise, a land of bogs, forests, and mountains seemingly designed for adventures to prove their worth. It seems that just around every corner is a warlord or sorcerer in need of overthrowing, with fortresses and caves brimming with artifacts and riches fought over by violent factions. Emain Ablach, or the Land of Apples, is the domain of the Tuatha De Danann after they retreated from the mortal world, and every sidhe mound in Ériu connects here. It is a scenic, paradisaical realm of fairy kingdoms and communities, many of whom live their entire lives here without ever visiting the mortal world.
Appendix E: the Landmarks covers seven areas of special historical and cultural relevance to the peoples of Ériu. They include Mount Errigal, the site of the famed battle between Lugh and Balor, which is now a favorite hideout for all manner of outlaws and pirates. Then there's the Giant's Causeway, an ongoing druidic-enhanced construction project of a planned bridge between Ériu and Alba, so named because its sponsor Fionn Mac Cumhaill is eager to test his martial might against the giants of that eastern land. The giant Benandonner waits on the opposite shore with the promise to kill Fionn and invade Ériu. The Hill of Uisneach is the burial place of Lugh and the second most-popular site for religious pilgrimages in the region, the first being the isle of Ynys Mon in Britannia. The Boireann is a hundred square miles of exposed limestone which is the site of regular Otherworldly influence, particularly spirits and phantoms residing in ancient tombs. The Cliffs of Moher are a frequent visitation spot for Cailleach and also the site of the storm-guarded sunken city of Cill Stuithin that was collapsed by its faerie inhabitants after the Milesians won the battle against the Tuatha De Danann. A metaphorical key to the city that can bypass its ring of storms is said to lie in the grave of a legendary warrior. The Caves of Keshcorran are a seemingly endless system of tunnels home to entrances to the Otherworld as well as the lairs of Formorians and various monsters. Finally we have Binn Ghulbain, a plateau that is a common meeting point between faeries and spirits and is also home to a titanic boar that endlessly roams the plateau. This beast is said to have been unleashed by the fey to take revenge against a now-deceased hero.
Appendix F: the Festivals covers the four major seasonal holidays of Ériu. They take place immediately preceding the equinoxes and solstices, which are the perfect social occasions to gather together for both secular and religious reasons. Imbolc precedes the spring equinox, symbolic of new beginnings as the world awakening from a dark winter. Bealtaine is right before the summer solstice, a time of joy and celebration of the good things in life, and is also the favorite time for couples to conceive children and marks the traditional beginning of many clans' battle seasons. Lughnasadh is the autumn equinox, a time of business and trade, ranging from marriages and trade fairs along with more traditional celebrations. The Tailteann games are held on this occasion, honoring the spirit Tailtiu's sacrifice via various contests of physical prowess. Samhain marks the winter solstice, where it's said that the Otherworld's barrier draws thin, allowing all manner of phantoms, fey, and other beings to freely roam the mortal world. It is a solemn time of reflection on the past year, and is also a time of bittersweetness, for the spirits of the dearly departed are known to visit their families and loved ones. Faeries celebrate Samhain much like summer, viewing it as a time of joy, revelry, and an excuse to go on their infamous wild hunts.
Appendix G: Inspirational Material and Scholarly Sources is a comprehensive list of material used for the writing of Heroes of Tara. They range from films and novels that go beyond just Irish sources, as well as non-fiction works such as collected folkloric stories, historical treatises, archeological surveys, and so on. It's quite comprehensive-looking to my non-PhD-holding self, and the author talks about certain works of fiction that they hold in particularly high regard for emulating the feel of Heroes of Tara. Those are Red Branch and Finn Mac Cool as essential reading at the minimum.
Appendix H: Accuracy to the Source Material is the longest appendix of this section, where the author goes into detail on what parts of their research they hewed to and where they veered away for the sake of game design. This is to give readers a better understanding of the separations from fact and fiction. For example, bards, brehons, and druids were distinct categories and not considered different kinds of fili, and that the relationships and distinct boundaries between the groups are unclear. The Brehon subclass being a "brawler gish" is another fictional flourish, done as a means of distinguishing it in gameplay from bards and druids and inspired by the gods Dadga and Oghma, who were both excellent scholars as well as club-wielding warriors.
Another example given is the distinction between Fionn Mac Cumhaill as he appeared in literary fiction vs folktales. The folktale version of Fionn is a literal giant who created the largest lake in Ireland by scooping up a heap of earth and throwing it across the sea to create the Isle of Man. He also built the Giant's Causeway with his bare hands to challenge a rival giant in Scotland known as Benandonner. The literary Fionn is closer to the one in this sourcebook, being a metaphorical giant of a man instead of a literal one and is the leader of the Fianna, but Heroes of Tara has incorporated folkloric elements where possible, such as the Giant's Causeway construction project.
Just about every major concept in Heroes of Tara is covered in this particular appendix, so I cannot really do it justice. All the more reason for interesting parties to pick up the book themselves!
Appendix I: Index of Illustrators is a detailed list of every illustrator who worked on this book, each one having a list denoting what artwork they worked on and what page numbers to find them in the book. Artwork not listed in this appendix are royalty-free images.
Appendix J: Irish Pronunciation talks about the grammatical basics of the Irish language, along with a list of various uses along with their meaning/etymological root. For example, the word "ollamn" meant scholar or teacher, while Rí means "king," so Ard Rí would mean "high king."
Appendix K: Creature Stat Blocks provides stat blocks for various creatures and NPCs relevant to the player's side of things on account of being used for various class features, treasure, etc. With the exception of the Gealt, all creatures listed here are either beasts, humanoids, or vehicles. The Gealt is the result of a particular curse where the unfortunate afflicted is turned into an anthropomorphic bird-like creature that loses all sense of higher thought and is simply put, "stark raving mad."
The wolfhound is a meatier CR ½ equivalent of the Monster Manual's wolf entry, which has a Bred to Hunt ability that lets it Dash as a bonus action once per combat, and the warhorse detailed here has much more hit points than its Monster Manual equivalent, weighing in at 48 HP vs the 19 of core 5e. We do get stats for a common horse as a CR ¼ animal that still gets a healthy 35 hit points. The Charioteer is a CR 1 humanoid who in addition to starting out with some decent gear, is also proficient in Medicine and can use said skill to give temporary hit points to a creature (but creatures benefit only once per short rest), and can use Animal Handling )which they are also proficient in) to remove the Charmed or Frightened condition from the chariot's animals.
For the Bard's Honor the Dead invocation, which summons the spirits of deceased warriors, we get 4 stat blocks representing increasingly-strong entities as the Bard increases in level. Each of them have their own special abilities reflective of their age and experience. At its earliest we have the CR ½ Young Warrior, who fights more recklessly which takes the form of advantage on attack rolls during the first round of combat and can gain +2 on attack rolls in exchange for -2 AC. The most powerful is the CR 6 Renowned Warrior, who has legendary-like feats of physical prowess, such as a charge attack that can forcefully move damaged targets, or gaining +5 to attack and damage rolls for 1d4 rounds whenever they crit or kill a creature.
As for the Gealt, it isn't something a PC befriends or summons, but is something that a character can be cursed to become. The stats of the original creature are replaced with a CR 5 monster that is geared towards mobile melee combat. It has a climb speed, and its wings let it jump much farther than normal rather than actual flight. Its madness grants it various abilities, such as immunity to magical mental effects, raving that deals psychic damage and the incapacitated condition, and those listening to the Gealt can make Druid Lore checks to derive meaningful prophecies from its words once per day and only if they're proficient. The monster's insanity makes it behave irrationally in combat, where a 1d8 table determines its primary course of action for the round regardless of circumstance.
Appendix L: Maps and Long Distance Travel provides us with a map of Ériu and the Otherworld, the former having three versions: geopolitical boundaries, natural landmarks such as mountains, lakes, and rivers, and Sidhe Mounds, all on 10 mile hex grids. The Otherworld is less of a geographically-accurate map and more of an artful, symbolic one showcasing the world as a concentric ring of regions on a major central island surrounded by countless smaller ones. We also get a new sub-system for hex travel. It includes writeups for determining travel time by terrain type, and includes ability checks and saving throws for overcoming common obstacles, such as finding safe crossing points at fords and avoiding exhaustion and getting lost in bogs. As can be expected, travel during the winter is more difficult and dangerous, potentially causing 2 levels of Exhaustion on a failed save before one's next Short Rest
Appendix M: Character Sheets and Prebuilt Characters includes a blank character sheet along with 3 level 1 characters. The pregenerated ones each use one of the three non-Daoine Sidhe classes in Heroes of Tara, and are rather straightforward conceptwise: an agile Aes Sidhe Fennid, a Fir Bolg Fili with a focus on Intelligence and Wisdom skills, and a Gael Warrior of the Red Branch who is a high Strength, high Constitution character built first and foremost for melee combat.
Appendix N: Quick Reference Tables is our final appendix, a handy list of new rules mechanics and tables taken from the rules of this book.
Thoughts So Far: The appendices are in-depth and comprehensive enough that they feel less like well, appendices, and more a significant section of the book in their own right. The writeups for the kingdoms, Sidhe mounds, Otherworld, and landmarks are brimming with adventure hooks and sources of conflict, and also help with world-building alongside the entries for deities and major festivals. I believe that a lot of this material was meant to be in future supplements for the GM's side of things, but were included here for the sake of completeness. The appendices of sources and discussion of accuracy vs creative liberties really show the author's due diligence, further elevating the book in my eyes.
Final Thoughts: Heroes of Tara is an ambitious, beautiful work that was a pleasure to read from start to end. Historical fantasy settings often have a high bar to clear, for unlike wholly fictional worlds they are heavily inspired by what we know of our own real world's past. That so much of ancient Ireland's history has been sadly lost to time makes writing a setting for it a difficult endeavor, which makes this product stand out all the more in comparison to more well-trod ground.
But the biggest thing holding Heroes of Tara back is its incompleteness as a stand-alone 5th Edition variant. For example, I noted in my Let's Read that there were inferences made to rules material not in this book, notably new and replaced creature types. And while we have very comprehensive rules for PCs, much of the work for GMs will need to be made whole cloth.
Regarding its future, the publisher's response on its Drive-Thru RPG page expressed a desire to produce a bestiary and then a GM's guide. And while they cannot make guarantees due to still being new to the world of self-publishing, they are not yet done with Heroes of Tara. When and if Heroes of Tara gets a new book, I will be looking forward to it, for I see great promise in it and made an outstanding first impression!
