What's the content like? Actions, talents, locations, NPCs/monsters? Maps, handouts? New rules?

Still mulling - it's got me thinking "how I will run that bit" etc. which is usually a good sign for engaging me. No particular scenes have jumped out at me and grabbed me as "that will be an iconic moment" but that may just be "because it's so much", a couple are rumbling around in my head and likely on their way to becoming "iconic".

It's big with lots going on in each "bit of it" which if handled right should give sense of "reality" in that you can deal with this but then that happens and if you were over there dealing with that then this happens - heroes can't be everywhere at once etc. (it actually says at one point, let that happen and just reccyle some of those other things another time in your game).

My main critique after I finished reading it was that some things it raises aren't addressed (as they are not core to the through line of plot) but putting stuff in on those would make it "even bigger and more complicated, and if tied to through line would make that even more complicated" so maybe forgive those points (if this was 1000 Thrones, would all call for Expansions) and the Old World is full of "never resolved" issues that provide grist for "the next adventure".

So it's way more complex etc. than Gathering Storm. It's not got that awkward "so how does this get rolling really" issue of the Edge of Night. It's much better integrated than earlier edition big campaigns (where you could really tell when one writer stopped and other started).

There are no PC actions (depending on whether you have other expansions already, some cards from them for NPCs in case you dont) or talents. I smiled reading some of the monster actions "a mechanical reason for a villain to do that cheesy thing!" and grinned evilly reading the big bad's special abilities. There are "old friends" in terms of people (using term loosely) and events of warhammer canon showing up.

I think I mentioned the travel rules which have some elements I very much like. Not sure I will completely abandon my houserules but they will become "variants of this approach" if I keep them. That's really the only "new rule concept". It uses stuff from all the other expansions. It doesn't use creature and NPC group sheets much that I can see - and there is definitely some potential to use them.

That's about all I can say outside of GM forum.

Rob

So is this an entirely new storyline drawing on the themes and inspiration from the orginal, or is it a 3rd edition re-write of the orginal? I am hoping the latter as i have never played the orginal but from the posts i have seen it is suggesting the former.

Thanks

It's completely original. There are references to some elements of the original, enough so it doesn't commit that "all that happened" but if you wanted to have much of it have happened "yes it did" as in "some years ago this cult had a plot that was frustrated by a group of heroes". None of that is critical to the current plot.

Oh to answer a couple more original questions.

There are small handout sepia coloured maps of "parts" of cities that the adventure takes place in. No spoiler to use as example, "part of Averheim". There is map of empire (2 pages) in the book that I haven't seen before and I think I've seen most of the maps that float around. There's a 2522 calendar but I beleive it's also been printed in one of the box set booklets.

There are a smaller number of other handouts or play aids in card form. Not a great deal (e.g., by the standard of some earlier edition work that had pages of handouts, NPC letters etc.). For example there's a pamphlet mentioned that outlines views of some things about with a sidebar of what the pamphlet says. That would make a nice "in game document handout" that I may end up creating.

Travel rules,eh? That sounds worth while and something lacking in other sets. A bit of an odd place to put it, but I'll take it :-)

The "rules for journeys" are 1 page, though that's the framework, encounters etc. for specific journies are obviously additional to each. They are in concept much like the One Ring game and are stated as optional. I like them as lying between "handwaving a journey" and "playing out each day" and letting various skills dome into play etc. This is not a "lets roll random encounters every hex of map" game system.

They could have fit before but do fit in a campaign with a certain amount of travel (like most big campaigns it's not all in one spot).

I'm reading through The Enemy Within now and absolutely loving it. Not sure how I'll feel when I finish, but I think there are some great ideas in here.

cparadis said:

That is very nice to hear, so ta and such. Hope it all works well when used in anger.

valvorik said:

So, it is year 2522. That's THE YEAR when the Storm of Chaos (SoC) truly strikes, Archaon himself invades the Empire-lands… Is it there? Is there any timeline for the war events…etc.

From the beginning, when this project was published, I had few questions in mind:

• Is the SoC there? And is the war anyway part of the campaign (finally)?
• Do Averheim information take count of other material published about the place in various sources. Like A Brutal Finish (Realms of Sorcery, WFRP2) and Black Library novels (Swords of Justice, Swords of Vengeance, Swords of the Emperor)
• Will there finally be new maps about new places, like averheim !?!

Ordered mine from FFG store, paid for 3 day shipping so I am hoping to get it Tuesday or Wednesday.

jackdays said:

That's GM section stuff. See my posts in GM section

Got my copy a couple of days ago. A lot of repeat cards if you already have them from other sets. But I am enjoying the read quite a bit!

There are really a lot of repeat cards for completist and collectors like me. But the new and original cards are really awesome ("villainous monologue").The props are well done. Two maps as in Hero's Call. The bulk of the box is the campaign book with 192 pages of adventure. This christmas will be a feast for me. I enjoy the reading so far…

Just got it today and started the read. Wow! It is big, the prodcution is excellent, and so far the writing is intelligent, adult, and striking exactly the right tone. Excited!

One thing I wished it had at the start of each book is a recommendation of how far in advancements the characters should be. I love the travel rules and there are several great encounters that should be a lot of fun.

Got mine in the mail a few days ago. Been going over it and am running our first session later today. Liking it very much so far. I hope it's not the end of the line for WFRP3 but if it is it looks like a very good swansong.

Mark

Isn't this supposed to start with new characters?

jh

Yes. It has some "if bringing in existing characters from other official adventures" text but is very much direct at starting new characters, creating them with features and backgrounds woven into campaign etc.

We are staring a fresh party with new charcters.

Mark

Thx for the "reviews" because of that….its in the mail!!

For anyone interested, I did an unboxing type video (since there didn't seem to be one already):

Got it at last!

Wow! Worth the wait, for sure!

Karma Kollapse said:

Great work on this video.

jh

Emirikol said:

Thanks!