quibblemuch's page

This is a really fun add-on for anyone running, say, the Carrion Crown adventure path. Or anything gothic.

First thing: The artwork is fantastic. There's only the one image, but it jumps off the page as both realistic and yet having that dream-like creepy gothic edge.

The new bard-centric mechanics are great too. The masterpieces are worthy of Lovecraft himself, and the mythos tome itself is something I will drop into a campaign the very next chance I get.

Thanks Legendary Games!

...buy this one twice and give the extra to someone you really like.

This campaign setting guide does a fantastic job of describing the paradoxes of the First World. The descriptions of the Eldest manage to flesh them out as deities, while at the same time maintaining their maddening ambiguities and mystery. The locale descriptions are the same way--an "M.C. Escher meets Hieronymous Bosch" treasure trove of wild verbal imagery.

I've always liked the fey in Pathfinder, and this book only made me love them more.

And the artwork... wow, the artwork. Just. Wow. I wish there were poster prints available of some of the images inside.

Consider this a five woot! review.

Disclosure: Like the first reviewer, I too have a contribution in this issue of Wayfinder.

I am running Carrion Crown right now, so I've had Ustalav on the brain and was eagerly awaiting this issue. I was wicked pleased! I could go through every single entry and find lots of great things to say, but such a thorough review would (as they say) take years and cost millions of lives. I'll just pick out a few things for time's sake, but know, contributors, if I didn't mention your entry specifically, it is still awesome.

Artwork

Wow. Just... wow. The look and feel of this is outstanding. From the cover art (love the Grinning Moons lurking in the Pharasmin stained glass) to the individual pieces, the whole thing evoked Ustalav. A few of the pieces I even wanted in poster form (am looking at dodeqaa's creepy skip-rope Ustalav girls... shudder)

New Rules/Mechanics

I can't believe the Lycanthrope bloodline isn't already a thing. That's how good an idea it was, and it was really well executed. This needs to be an official thing, seriously.

Likewise the archetypes. I'm a big fan of witches, and the Geist Warden is a great character option, while the Afflicted is on my list of villains-to-be (a disease for a familiar! Only in Ustalav!) The Operatic Duelist is a great option for the prima donna (in a good way) swashbuckler at the table. It ain't over till the Operatic Duelist stabs, as they say...

Speaking of opera, I loved the idea of bardic masterpieces dedicated to the Old Ones cults. Of course a pleasant evening at the theatre in Ustalav would wind up driving one mad with the power of Hastur!

Items

The Folk Charms of Ustalav are great low-cost items that fit the flavor of the country very well. I'm a sucker for superstition-driven magic items, as well as options that lower level characters and common folk.

The Forbidden Tomes I also really enjoyed and look forward to placing here and there in hordes. Nothing like a good book to take you far away... far, far away to the unholy darkness between the stars as it turns out... Muhahaha...

Lore, Stories

All three gazeeters were very useful and filled in some of the sketched out parts of the official canon nicely. It is going to be hard not to find reasons to alter the Carrion Crown AP to make the party go to Kavapesta, Ardagh, or Chastel, if only to look around and learn more about the world as presented by those writers...

Side Quests and the Rest

Forgive me contributors all, for cutting this review short and not individually praising every one of you. Sadly, I have not yet discovered the secret to lichdom and therefore time presses on...

Suffice it to say, for those of you considering downloading this product, the side quests are a great way to bump XP during Carrion Crown or just to give your players some wicked creepy thrills in the Immortal Principality. And if you're looking for inspirational, fun reads, the fiction is spot on.

All in all, an excellent issue!