Beware! This review contains spoilers. It also contains spoilers for the Sovereign Stone novel, The Well Of Darkness.
This is not a playtest review.
Old Vinnengael is a city sourcebook and adventure for the Sovereign Stone setting.
Old Vinnengael costs $19.95 and is a softcover mono 128-page book. Though margins and font size are good, there is some wasted space at the end and beginning of chapters and at the beginning and end of the book. The internal mono art runs from average to superb (the latter by Jennifer Meyer). The cover, whilst not quite up to Elmore's usual excellence, is still very good, showing a mounted female warrior and her knights overlooking the surrounding lands, with a hilltop castle in the background. Maps are bland and very basic. Writing style is good, and editing seems fine.
Old Vinnengael is an odd sourcebook to be released on one level - the city as described in the sourcebook does not exist in the current Sovereign Stone timeline. The sourcebook describes the city as it existed 200 years before the current timeline. However, the events that affect the city at this time (and the future of the continent of Loerem) are essential in understanding the nature of the Sovereign Stone setting, and tie in directly with the first Sovereign Stone novel 'The Well Of Darkness' by famed Dragonlance authors, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Those who are intending to read the novel are advised to do so before reading this book.
Chapter 1: Introduction
This gives a brief flavour introduction to the city of Vinnengael.
Chapter 2: History Of Old Vinnengael
Runs through the 500-year history of the city from its creation as a river island fortress by a warlord and a wizard, through times of trouble and renaissance, to the creation of magical portals in the city that lead to each of the different races' realms and one that leads to the realms of the gods themselves. The history ends with the fall of grace of the prince Dagnarus, his transformation into the Lord of the Void, his fratricide, and the shattering of the portals which cause the destruction of the city.
Chapter 3: Environs Of Old Vinnengael
This chapter covers some of the geographical features of Old Vinnengael including the royal highways, the nearby royal forest preserve, the Vastgorge Bridge, and the River Hammerclaw that surrounds the river island city of Vinnengael. The city itself sits on the edge of Lake Ildurel and is surrounded by forests and mountains on the other sides. Some typical NPCs (e.g. guardsmen, forest wardens) are also given.
Chapter 4: Commercial Districts
This chapter covers a number of districts, each with a section giving important inhabitants (with adventure ideas hidden within their colourful descriptions):
* The Mysterium - populated by hedge wizards hiding out from the austere Temple of the Magi, various non-magical criminals, and infiltrated by the temple's spies, this area contains shops that specialise in magic, secret knowledge, and rare items.
* Bierebourg - the brewing quarter.
* The Pit - area dedicated to fishmongers and slaughterhouses, a rough place that includes the secret quarters of the Thieves Guild.
* Jouelmont - area dedicated to gem and jewellery craftsmanship, whilst underneath the city streets lies the Royal Mint and in the hidden recesses of walled mansions can be found unusual and expensive pleasures.
* Horse Traders Plaza - horse tading and tournament fields
* Hammercourt - area dedicated to forging and smithing with the focal point of a huge dam and the centre for the Vinnengalean guildmasters.
* Shipwrights' Row - harbour area with strong orken influence
* Muslinstern - clothing and shoes can be found here
* Waterfront District - adjoining Shipwrights' Row, an area of docks, wharves and warehouses, rough taverns and brothels, with a strong Orken culture.
Chapter 5: Ethnic Districts
Various districts exist that are populated mainly by one particular culture, again noting important inhabitants:
* Elven District - garden park-like area of confusing paths and colourful wooden houses with restricted access to the elven portal.
* Orken District - situated just behind Shipwrights' Row, specialising in merchandise from far-off lands. The portal is clandestinely guarded by many orks.
* Nimran District - an area of packe earth roads, verdant vegetation, and featuring an impressive temple to the earth Goddess, who the Nimrans worship.
* Nimorean District - cross between eleven and Nimran culture, mainly populated by Nimorean merchants.
* Dunkargan District - hard-nosed merchants with excellent bartering skills populate most of this district. The area features an olive grove and vinegar fermenting facilities.
* Dwarven Portal - little used portal with no real dwarven population surrounding it as none wish to travel to dwarven lands, and vice-versa.
Chapter 6: Elite Districts
Travel in these districts is restricted by elite guards:
* Ambassadorial District - housing foreign ambassadors in rich, well-guarded homes.
* Anchorage District - royal navy and fleet
* The Grotto - noble quarter with paved streets and lavish parties, overlooking a magical vortex of water that provides fountains and running water to the homes of the gentry.
Chapter 7: Districts Royale
Covers the rambling palace of Vinnengael set in the midst of rocky cataracts, and the temple of the Magi - once the college of wizardry but now with religious overtones. There is also some discussion of secret tunnels connecting the palce and the temple to the rest of Old Vinnengael. Important inhabitants include Helmos, the current king, full stats on Dagnarus and his lover-turned-undead-Vrykyl, Lady Valura Mabreton. There is a further discussion on the different political factions in Vinnengael, the Dominion Lords and their influence on the city, and other cultural influences such as the temple of the magi, the nobility, magistrates, the Vinnengaelean military, Vinnengaelean guilds and merchant houses, and ethnic influences.
Chapter 8: Adventuring In Old Vinnengael
This chapter begins with four new prestige classes: Battle-Magi (10-level fighter/mage cross), Elite Boarder & Skirmisher (5-level pirate type), Green Warden (5-level scout/tracker in the environs of Vinnegael), and Master Assassin (actually a spy/assassin who wars with words and intrigue as much as with a well-placed strike to the vitals). Six new spells are also offered, taken from the pages of the novel and developed for use in the game.
Chapter 9: The Goodrun Conspiracy
This adventure has the PCs embroiled in a political subplot taking place in the final few days before Vinnengael is destroyed. The final event throws the PCs forward in time 200 years to the current Sovereign Stone timeline. Strangely, it is an adventure designed for PCs of level 7-8, though there is advice for running it with characters of lower level. It would have made more sense to me to have the adventure suited to beginning players as a good introduction to the history of the Sovereign Stone campaign without having to information dump on them.
Conclusion:
This is a reasonably interesting overview of the city of Old Vinnengael. The problem is mainly one of utility - because of Sovereign Stone's unique magic system, and different PC classes, all the NPCs (which I found perhaps the best part of the book) would need to be re-statted for use in a D&D game. This reduces its interest for non-Sovereign Stone players - this is exacerbated by the fact that much of the gazetteer makes frequent references to the unique Sovereign Stone cultures, NPCs, and history. Even for those running a Sovereign Stone campaign, most will probably already have begun their campaign in the current timeline and there is no advice or ideas to take account of this situation (though sending the PCs back in time in the same manner as they come forward in time at the end of the adventure is obviously an unwritten possibility). This further reduces the number of people who would be interested in the book to either those who have not yet started a Sovereign Stone campaign, or those who were so entranced by the novel that they just have to run their players through some adventures set in Old Vinnengael at the cost of their current campaign.
The book itself is interesting without being spectacular. As already stated, the NPC descriptions are particularly notable, and some of the locations are memorable and stimulating (though others are somewhat bland or unoriginal).
