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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Simon Collins" data-source="post: 2009104" data-attributes="member: 9860">Beware! This review contains major spoilers.This is not a playtest review.The Hunt: Rise Of Evil is the sourcebook for Mystic Eye Games' Gothos world setting.$19.95 for a 144-page softcover book is pretty good value. In addition, the layout is tight and space is used well.The art is sparse but generally good. Maps are basic and the scales initially confusing as there appears to be no measuring scale against the distance figure - I can only presume that the block the figure is shown in is meant to be the measurement line but it leaves the maps covering vast distances. Else they forgot to put the measurement line in.The style of writing is informal but interesting. Editing seems fairly good.Gothos is a mediaeval world influenced by the dreams and nightmares of those on Earth. In addition, the plane that holds Gothos rotates around that of the Earth and Gothos is powrefully influenced by that of Earth. As it gets closer to Earth, the dreamers of Earth can influence the characters of Gothos more strongly and even the physical nature of Gothos can be changed, creating new landscapes.Earth dreamers can influence Gothos by forming a Bond with a character in Gothos, helping them to fight against the nightmarish monsters that enter Gothos through mysterious Dream Rifts, holes in the fabric of reality. The players take on a two-fold role - that of themselves as Earth dreamers and that of their character in Gothos. The rules for Gothos can allow the players to have some extra influence over the fate of their characters by using abilities that their Earth dreamer selves possess, including influencing the mood and weather in a location and using Dream Points to aid their character during dangerous encounters.The cycle of rotation and the Earth's influence over Gothos gives a GM good leeway in choosing the type of campaign he runs. When Gothos is furthest from Earth, a standard fantasy campaign can be run. The nearer Gothos gets to Earth, the more effect the concept of dreamers will have on the campaign.Another significant difference in Gothos is that Wizards and sorcerers can have Affinities, which work much like Domains for clerics. These include the four elements and the eight magic schools. Evil magic-users can also gain additional power by sacrificing living creatures or draining the vitality of the land around them, at the cost of dreadful physical and mental corruption.The pantheon of Gothos is fairly standard, with a somewhat humano-centric stance. Five new domains (clockwork, pestilence, corruption, smithing and decay) are introduced. In addition, there are three witch covens briefly described. Clerics also gain a possible additional power. If they take a Patron Saint, they must follow the strictures of that saint but gain a related ability, similar to a Granted Power.The book deals in good detail with each of the major kingdoms of central Gothos:* Dunreth, similar to mediaeval Scotland* Gildor, a kingdom based around the concept of the chivalric code* Ithganin, an evil empire ruled by a powerful devil, a cross between mediaeval Japan and the Middle East* Kirkland, a theocracy resembling mediaeval Germany* Mirak, a xenophobic country plagued by a powerful secret police* Nord, a cold barbaric land ruled by the Ice Queen and women control the politics* Romanus, similar to the Roman Empire* Rylonia, huge grasslands where horse nomads roam* Sheena, the Pirate Isles* Warkistan, a vast desert empireEach country covers a basic description, religious influences, politics, people, a discussion of different classes, famous NPCs, and places of interest.Five new full classes are offered for play:* Centurion - similar to a fighter, but with advantages in fighting with companions, Romanus only* Merchant - abilities for bartering and lying, with spells to back it up* Samurai - really an NPC class, as limited to the evil empire of Ithganin and reviled everywhere else* Shaman - Rylonian class, with spirit guides giving domain abilities and spells similar to Green Ronin's Shaman* White Witch/Warlock - divine spellcasters with cursing powers, glamour which enhances charisma and the power to spellcast more powerfully as part of a coven of 13.Nine prestige classes are offered:* Enforcer - special agent in Mirak's secret police* Inquisitor of the Pantheon* Knight of the Rose - chivalric knights of Gildor* Lorindwar Bard - more music-orientated bard* The Officer - military officer* Road Warden* The Seeker - magically locate objects, places or people* The Strictor - The inqusitors of the inquisitors* SwashbucklerThere is a chapter dealing with the various cultures of Gothos, with cultural specialties for the human subraces. The descriptions include an extended discussion of the caste culture of Ithganin, treatment of non-human races in the various regions and two new races:* Canites - humanoid canines with +2 Str/Con, and -2 Wis/Cha and the ability to sense the mood of others* Werefaynoddin - elf-like race with the ability to shapeshift into a foxThe book continues with special feats for Earth dreamers and their bonded characters in Gothos (such as Rift Gate - the ability to open dormant Dream Rifts to travel great distances across Gothos via the dangerous dreamworld) and new magical feats (including fey magic which gives bonuses to enchantment and illusion spells at the cost of divination and necromancy, and is ineffective against undead and constructs). This section also includes feats for blood and blight magic - draining life force from living sacrifices or the land, a number of regional feats (such as Seafarer, giving a +2 on Balance and Swimming checks for Gildan-born humans only), some divine feats (such as Blessed of Matuza, available only to Warkistani divine spellcasters, giving them permanent protection from evil and bless powers while the sun is up). There are also a couple of other feats and some ideas for new uses for skills such as bartering under the Bluff skill and navigating the dreamlands using the Intuit Direction skill.The book finishes with some ideas for running very different Gothos campaigns from standard fantasy through to post-apocalyptic and three appendices:* Various roleplaying books that tie in with Gothos, including Thunderhead Games' Bluffside, Green Ronin's Freeport, and the use of Mongoose's Seas of Blood for nautical adventures.* The Gothos calendar, including some description of holy days and events.* Some OGC from Mongoose's Seas Of Blood to aid in running sefaring adventures. There is also an index.ConclusionThis is an imaginative and well-written campaign setting, with heaps of adventure ideas and a wide range of possibilities for running campaigns with different flavours. The new concept of the plane that Gothos exists in and its strange relationship to Earth takes a bit of getting used to, but a standard fantasy campaign can be run in Gothos without using this aspect. However, it would be disappointing not to make use of this original idea and there are plenty of rules to help a GM run this aspect effectively.There are a number of rules which significantly boost the power of spellcasting classes (such as Arcane Affinities and Patron Saints) whilst fighting classes are not changed significantly. I felt that some of the new classes (centurion, merchant and samurai) would have been better as NPC classes - the first two seemed weak in concept for a full class, whilst the samurai is restricted in adventuring ability. I also found the two new races to be a bit unbalanced - the canite seems very powerful whilst the restriction that the werefaynoddin cannot enter most civilised areas could be extremely restricting whilst running an adventure.I particularly liked the introduction of blood and blight magic, the witch class and their covens, the Seeker and Road Warden prestige classes and the dream-related feats, all of which created a very unique and stimulating feel to the campaign setting.Introducing the concept of Earth dreamers, the dreamworld and the rules that back up these concepts could be quite challenging, but worthwhile if the idea appeals. Equally, the world of Gothos could be used effectively for a standard campaign setting, and Mystic Eye's other releases have reflected the relative ease with which this can be achieved. All in all, one of the better campaign settings released.</blockquote>

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