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ShortQuests -- individual adventure modules! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed to plug in to your game.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2009879" data-attributes="member: 18387">By Bruce Boughner, staff reviewer d20 Magazine Rack, and co-host of Mortality Radio Sizing Up the Target Ravenloft Gazetteer is a 154-page softcover supplement published by White Wolf under its Sword & Sorcery imprint. The authors are Andrew Cermak, John Mangrum, Chris Nichols and Andrew Wyatt. The cover is painted by Ron Thompson, and interior art is by Jeff Holt, Brian LeBlanc and Talon Dunning and is available for $24.95 First Blood The Gazetteer is the first of a series of closer inspections of the Lands of Ravenloft, this volume deals with four of the core realms; Barovia, Hazlan, Forlorn and Kartakass. The text is done in narrative format similar to the Volo’s guides of 2nd edition Forgotten Realms.Each chapter is laid out in the same manner. The narrator describes his first impression of each realm then goes into the landscape of the realm; which then breaks down into the flora and fauna. Interspersed are sidebars of special points of interest, adventure hooks, and maps of the lands. The flora sections are often brief with more attention paid to the horrors and creatures of the country. They are referenced to the Ravenloft hardcover, the Monster Manual and other sources as well as a few new ones here. The history of the country is then given, this is a well- detailed story and is the bulk of the chapter for each realm, most of the sidebars and adventure hooks are here. The populace, culture and mores are delineated along with unique viewpoints, religions, public opinions on magic, religion and politics. Examples of items unique to each realm are given, such as the Barovian Hero section, which richly details the requirements to be a homespun Barovian hero, allowable classes, recommended feats common regional names and predominant races. New horrors are given as possibilities, such as the Resurrection of Erlin. Erlin was a tribal deity worshipped in the Gundarak region of Barovia and fell into obscurity with the rise of the Von Zaroviches, the possibility of a secret cult of Erlinites could add terror to the region. Secret societies, the use of psionics and other items in Ravenloft are all given in greater detail than in the Ravenloft hard cover. Certain artifacts are re-examined, poisonous herbs from Forlorn, the goblin pantheon are all delineated for easier usage. At the end of the four realms descriptions is a DM’s section. There are prestige classes such as the Herald of Dawn, new clerical domains and spells, new magic items and new monsters: the werefox, undead lake serpent and zombie wolf. Profiles of the darklords and other powerful denizens of these realms are given in a section called Who’s Doomed. The four realm lords, Tristan ApBlanc of Forlorn, Hazlik, the Red Wizard of Hazlan, Harkon Lukas of Katarkass and of course Strahd of Barovia are given expanded desriptions while other evils are given bios like Eleni of Toyalis, the heir to Hazlik, Inajira the Arcanaloth and the Vistani Madame Eva. The book closes with maps of the Realms of Dread. Critical Hits Ravenloft Gazetteer I is the first in a series of accessories that will expand the original 3rd edition offering of Ravenloft, granting more access into the individual realms and more detail to the darklords bios and more items, spells and monsters. Fans of the Dread Realms can rejoice. Critical Misses I hate having to buy the same material twice, now it is a necessary evil as 2nd edition material is brought forward. This book is mostly rehashing a lot of material but there is a good amount of new material to offset it. Coup de Grace As I said, fans of the Dread Realms can rejoice, Ravenloft is back in all its’ horrific glory. Despite the loss of Lord Soth back to Krynn properties, there are more than enough horrors for the Gothically challenged.To see the graded evaluation of this product, go to The Critic's Corner at <a href="http://www.d20zines.com" target="_blank">www.d20zines.com.</a></blockquote>

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