Trial of Blood - Sabbak's Report

[Sabbak]

Just to give my opinion on the Trial of Blood campain.

Average mark: 7/10

-> Text and background (x2): 8.5/10
-> Illustrations and maps (x1): 4/10

I'm neither a regular Conan GM nor a regular COnan player but I like the universe and the way Mongoose has updated the D20 system to fits Hyboria's world. And I LIKE to read good RpG adventures... that's why I've ordered Trial of Blood.

The adventures themselves are quite good, with interesting situations to propose to the players. If it seems a (huge) bit linear, this linearity is quite broken by the different kind of NPC, sites, country visited and so on.

More subjective is the general "mood" of the adventures. And that's a very good point: I think tey "smells" Conan! Yes, the Conan mood is quite in every corner of the book.

I also like de "Destiny Points system" that works a bit like in the last RuneQuest campain Blood of Orlanth. In fact I find it more complete ans interesting in Blood of Orlanth but, anyway, that kind of "track record of players actions" is always cool to handle.

Someone pointed the fact that you need some work as a GM to make it run smoothly. That's correct, but this amount of work is:
1) not SOOOO huge and
2) easy to make because of the numerous "imagination triggers" that are everywhere in the book.

One of the most problematic point is the very low quality of artwork and the ridiculous lack of maps!
It's a (very bad) habit by Mongoose in nearly every RpG line they produce and that's a shame and I'll fight against this state of fact in every message I write.

They clearly need to make an effort this way in order to avoid being considered a 2nd zone RpG editor...

It has begun quite well with a well described Sicas but then... no more maps until the end of the adventures!
A pity my old ma'am,

But let's hope Mongoose will improve in the future, Yes they can (everything is possible nowadays...) !
;-b

 

[The King]

Thanks for the very useful review.

 

[Father_of_knives]

I have to agree on the problems with this campaign. I've read the book now, cover to cover, and after leaving Sicas there are no further maps over cities or anything like that.

Coming to the Barony of Tor for example, and spending several days there in the campaign, it gets kind of dull not having a map of the city. In Sicas, you can come and go in just one day, and theres a detailed description of the city there with maps and different parts of the town described in detail.

I do however realise the ammount of work that would go into making maps for just about every city that is involved in Trial of Blood, also requiring a higher pricing for the adventure. With Sicas-like descriptions of every town the book would probably close in on above 300 pages, adding £10 to the pricetag or something. Id buy it, but some might not.


Maps, in general, is something I as a GM have a real passion for. I'd like to own maps of every large Hyborian city with a few pages of info on each regarding taverns, shops, temples and other places of interest. Id buy each and every one of those.


On that note, are there any user made or free downloadable maps anywhere, especially regarding Trial of Blood? I havent started playing it just yet, and id love some extra toppings like maps before I start. Anyone have any?

 

[Hervé]

Some adventures, like Tower of the Elephant or Heretics of Tarantia contained nice city maps. Even if they are are not decribed in details in the book, theyt help a lot in running these city adventures.
The same format would have help a lot for Trial of Blood and, in my blind faith, I still hope Mogoose will correct this everlasting map problem someday soon.

 

[Apple]

I've been hugely impressed by Trial of Blood, although that could in part be because my last experience with adventures has been Pathfinder and DnD and they've been so bad I've almost ripped them up and tossed them in the garbage where they belong, but doing that would take more effort than was put into making them.

Arrrgh, bad memories. Anyway, Trial of Blood good.

 

[B_Steele]

Thank you very much. I really did enjoy putting it together and hope to be able to do more along the same lines later.

If it gets put up for an Ennie this year, be sure to vote loudly and often.

-Bry

 

[Sabbak]

If it gets put up for an Ennie this year, be sure to vote loudly and often.

Of course!
But... er... let's say that I'll NOT do that if ToB is elected on the "best artwork" category!

 

[Father_of_knives]

Writing and playability and everything that is basically needed to have a really good time playing is worth an award.

However, the lack of maps IS and the artwork ALMOST IS a cause for anger and frustration.