Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheSword" data-source="post: 9022175" data-attributes="member: 6879661">[ATTACH=full]285103[/ATTACH]Even in its original incarnation The Enemy Within Stands as one of the greatest rpg campaigns of all time and frequently makes the top 5 list (if not the top) when the question is asked. When cubicle 7 reprinted and revised the series it opted to publish a Companion Book to stand alongside each Campaign Book. Each Companion Book is full of articles, similar to the Archives of the Empire but all relevant to running the campaign as well as general adventures in the Old World. Its worth noting that Cubicle 7 was able to get one of the original writers Graham David to write the reprints so the books feel really authentic and true to the originals (if not truer… look at that art!) There will be no spoilers in these posts from me!The First Part is the Enemy in Shadows and aficionados will know that Cubicle 7 combined the prologue and introduction originally called the Enemy Within and the first full part Shadows Over Bogenhafen. It’s fitting therefore that the first chapter of the companion details the many puns scattered though the naming conventions of the First part. From Castle Reikgard named after the popular anti-perspirant to the noble line of Von Saponatheim’s in Bogenhafen.Chapter two is larger a lore download of Sigmar’s Empire, detailing the Electoral Provinces of the empire, the electors, the estates, the guilds, taxes, law and order, and the people. You might think with would overlap with with the first chapter of Archives of the Empire mentioned earlier but while that book focused on the province and places, this book focuses on the power structures and lifestyle rather than a gazetteer of places.Chapter three focuses on the empires roads, the coaching houses that ply them, and the inns that cater to their customersChapter four looks at mounts and vehicles and has stats for all sorts of beasts of burden and mounts, costs, movement rates, rules for driving and mishaps that might happen en route. It also explains how these vehicles like coaches and carts might function in combat.Chapter five puts forward a suggestion for rules to improve the narrative of travel. This will come as no surprise to folks who follow C7’s work as they have extended travel rules in most of their systems. Weather tables, encounter tables, options for endeavors to conduct during long weeks on the road and simple rules to determine if the players arrive in style or worn down.Chapters six covers the road wardens of the Empire. Protecting travels from bandits, beasts and worse. With four sample NpCs all with art and their own detailed personality and story.Chapter seven offers some alternative reasons to go to Bogenhafen catering for folks who have already played the adventure before. Again several amazing fully detailed NPCs are described including Rembrandt Haube, the bandit who robs from the poor to give to the rich. Funnily enough laws against banditry have been significantly lessened in that part of the empire. This sections contains what the book calls Shadow Cast. NPCs like Rembrandt who can either be added to the main campaign or added into other adventures. Categories include bounty hunters, entertainers, highwaymen, outlaws, and town troublemakers, Bawds and Bunko artists, thieves racketeers, and servants… you get the point. There are between 1 and 3 NpCs for each category, fully statted with backgrounds and hooks.Chapter 8 is a deep dive into mutants in the with expanded mutation tables and rules (for a hundred or so mutations most with mechanical effects).Chapter 9 details a mysterious cult that I won’t detail here but offers stat blocks, structure, rivals, new talents, a new chaos career, a lot of spells and rules for Tzeentchian magic as well as general chaos spells and casting with Dhar.Chapter 10 details a side quest that can be dropped into any adventure during travel. While chapter 11 and 12 detail full adventures each a dozen or so pages long. The Pandemonium Carnival and The Affair of the Hidden Jewel.The end papers of the book include 6 sample player characters suitable for starting the campaign for those that want to skip character generation. While the front papers include full and beautiful maps and illustrations of the river trader the Berebelli (Pronounced Beer-belly) which the PCs may find themselves on.All in all an amazing first companion book - choc full of lore, stats, ideas and expandable rules for DMs. It only gets better from here!</blockquote>

Verification