Category: Reviews Page 1 of 2

[Review] Stolen Moments

A Stormbringer 4th Edition Scenario written by Nick Hagger (with Mark Morrison & Richard Watts), with art by Gustaf Bjorksten and Kon Heristanidis

It’s been a thousand years since the embattled Bright Empire clashed against the degenerate Dharzi. A millennium that has seen yet more change, conflict and the demise of the Melnibonean people. Today, the human race dominates the Young Kingdoms, feeling safe in their new roles as masters of the land and sea. Yet echoes of ancient times remain, lurking unseen at the edge of the known world, ready to show these upstart ‘rulers’ that the past can never be forgotten…

Stolen Moments is the fourth scenario from the brilliant Perils of the Young Kingdoms supplement released by Chaosium Inc. in 1991 (during the heyday of the 4th edition, and some might say the entire Stormbringer line). Written by Nick Hagger (with additions by Mark Morrison & Richard Watts) and art by Gustaf Bjorksten and Kon Heristanidis, it comes in at a solid 18 pages of action and discovery, which while at times feels slightly too linear, is in other ways an excellent example of what makes the Stormbringer setting so unique.

Please note, as with all such scenario reviews on the Stormbringerrpg.com site, these commentaries are the opinion of their author only, and are rated in three simple categories – Must Run, Should Run, Might Run (see the sidebar below for more information on these ratings).

Stolen Moments is recommended as a Must Run scenario.

[Review] The Unholy Fortress

A Stormbringer 4th Edition Scenario written by Nick Hagger, with art by Gustaf Bjorksten

Lost at the edge of the Eastern Desert, where the remains of a fallen god lie dormant, the champions of Mistress Fate are drawn to the Unholy Fortress. Trapped between the madness of a long dead deity and a ravening horde of crazed nomads, the characters must ally themselves with the fortress’ inhabitants (and a band of untrustworthy Pan-Tangian pirates) to ensure an evil worse than nightmare is stopped before it can be unleashed upon the Young Kingdoms!

The Unholy Fortress is a 22-page scenario written by Nick Hagger, and appears as the third (of four) scenarios in the Sea Kings of the Purple Towns  collection (released by Chaosium Inc in 1992 for Stormbringer 4th Edition).

Please note, as with all such scenario reviews on the Stormbringerrpg.com site, these commentaries are the opinion of their author only, and are rated in three simple categories – Must Run, Should Run, Might Run (see the sidebar below for more information on these ratings).

The Unholy Fortress is recommended as a Must Run scenario.

[Review] The Fang and the Fountain

A Stormbringer 4th Edition Scenario written by Richard Watts

Upon a storm-wracked sliver of rock, lost for time immemorial in the chill waters of the Pale Sea, unholy blasphemies have been spawned. Driven by dream and prophecy, the heroes must embark on a mighty quest that will reveal not only madness and chaos, but the truth behind these mutant beasts and long-forgotten Dharzi magicks. Will they survive these terrors? Or are they destined to discover nothing more than a watery grave…

The Fang and the Fountain is a 15-page scenario written by Richard Watts, and appears as the third of five adventures in the Perils of the Young Kingdoms collection (released by Chaosium Inc in 1991 for Stormbringer 4th Edition).

Please note, as with all such scenario reviews on the Stormbringerrpg.com site, these commentaries are the opinion of their author only, and are rated in three simple categories – Must Run, Should Run, Might Run (see the sidebar below for more information on these ratings).

The Fang and the Fountain is recommended as a Must Run scenario.

[Review] Black Sword Hack – Ultimate Chaos Edition

BLACK SWORD HACK – Ultimate Chaos Edition
An Old School Renaissance (OSR) Fantasy Game

Written by Alexandre ‘Kobayashi’ Jeannette, with art by Goran Gligovic
and released by The Merry Mushmen.

It isn’t often that I look to review books outside of the vast library of Stormbringer (and Elric!) RPG supplements that I’m yet to critique, but given the recent positive murmurings about Black Sword Hack – and its potential to replicate the old-school gaming style of Eternal Champion roleplaying – I thought why not take some time out of my busy schedule and take a look at it.

Initial observations

I should start by saying that I purchased this book as a PDF via the publisher’s website having missed the very successful Kickstarter in late 2022. As an aside, while this is my first interaction with the French-based Merry Mushmen, they seem to be a publisher of the most wonderful boutique games and roleplaying supplements, although there was little on their website to tell me much about them, beyond the generally gorgeous quality of the material they produce, of course.

I should also mention, that as they are a small publisher this does unfortunately reflect on the price of their products – with the BLACK SWORD HACK – Ultimate Chaos Edition PDF being €16 Euro and the Print/PDF option €29 Euro before any shipping is added. Just to put that in context for someone like myself, based here in New Zealand, the PDF works out to be $28 NZD, while the physical edition comes in at just over $70 NZD! Ouch!

[Review] Hawkmoon: The Roleplaying Game – Mongoose Publishing – 2007

As a companion piece to the interview with Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Stormbringer is happy to present an extended and critical look at Hawkmoon: The Roleplaying Game. Released by Mongoose Publishing in 2007, this was their second (and final) setting released in their Eternal Champion series (the other being Elric of Melniboné).

Those who dare swear by the Runestaff must then benefit or suffer from the consequences of the fixed pattern of destiny that they set in motion. Some several such oaths have been sworn in the history of the Runestaff’s existence, but none with such vast and terrible results as the mighty oath of vengeance sworn by the Baron Meliadus of Kroiden the year before Dorian Hawkmoon van Koln set foot into the pages of this ancient narrative.

AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE HIGH HISTORY OF THE RUNESTAFF

About Hawkmoon

Hawkmoon (or to quote its full title from the book’s cover Michael Moorcock’s Hawkmoon: The Roleplaying Game) was released in 2007 by Mongoose Publishing and arrived the same year (although slightly later) than their only other Eternal Champion game, Elric of Melniboné. Like its more familiar cousin, Hawkmoon utilises the  enerable and well-respected Runequest ruleset – then licensed from Greg Stafford – but moves even further away from its parent mechanics as it attempts to reflect gaming in the strange and techno-magical world of the Tragic Millennium.

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