Realms of Norrath: Dagnor’s Cauldron
From: Sword & Sorcery Studios
Reviewed by: Bill Perman
Realms of Norrath: Dagnor’s Cauldron is the latest supplement for the popular EverQuest Role-Playing Game. This latest supplement uses the d20 open license and is fully compatible with the 3.5 edition.
From the back cover
“The Greatest Mortal Wizard is Mortal No More!
The proud Erudite wizard Al’Kabor admits no mortal to be his equal in ways of spellcraft and magical power. Though few would dare dissent from Al’Kabor’s opinion, there are those who whisper behind his back that his claim may be true, but only because the one who was the greatest of mortal wizards is no longer mortal. The conflict – some say, contest – between the Erudites and the kedge is legend, but the battle has died down since the great kedge sorcerer Phinigel Autropos was trapped in his underwater keep.
Or, rather, it’s believed he’s trapped. If he isn’t, as some suggest, might not his designs for the surface world begin in the lands surrounding his home, in the wilderness near Dagnor’s Cauldron?
100% compatible with 3.5 edition fantasy role-playing rules
This sourcebook details the past and present of this dynamic region, which saw the birth of three races (elves, dwarves, and kedge) and the near-annihilation of two of them.
The dwarven city of Kaladim and much of western Faydwer are described in detail herein, as well as two complete locations for adventures: the haunted Estate of Unrest, where the undead battle one another for the right to leave those accursed lands; and the home of the last of the kedge, Phinigel Autropos – Kedge Keep itself.”
This supplement explores the area in and around, “the Cauldron.” Several points of interest are detailed in their own chapters, such as the Butcherblock Mountains, Ranthok’s Ridge, The Estate of Unrest, Kaladim, and of course, at the heart of it all, Dagnor’s Cauldon.
Each chapter is jam packed with enough information that GMs could literally run an entire campaign out of this book. There are seven chapters in all, each going into great detail with their respective territories. Each chapter begins with a description of its history, climate and inhabitants. Various points of interest, like cities, are broken down into population size, its ruler, assets and gold-piece limit, as well as its resources and militia. Maps are included, with write-ups on key buildings and locations. You’ll also find sample adventures, or “Quests.” Each Quest informs the GM of the NPC, the challenge rating of the encounter, the rewards and consequences, and a brief summary of the plot and how to involve the characters. The Quests can be used as individual adventures, or should you choose, tie into a larger metaplot. You’ll also find a wealth of NPCs, written up and ready to challenge your players. The write-up for Phinigel Autropos, one of the central characters, is truly terrifying. Do not throw your players at him until they’ve beaten pretty much everything else first. Then, your players may have a chance. You’ll also find some updated rules for combat underwater. Some adjustments had to be made, considering that one of the major locations, Kedge Keep, is below water. Rules for swimming, drowning, visibility, and water depth are covered. Players will encounter aquatic creatures that will put them at a noticeable disadvantage.
The book also includes section on new magical items like Bloodforge Armor and the Robe of the Kedge. Finally, a section of new monsters is included, covering the full range of CRs, to challenge players of any level. Because of the d20 license, very little tweaking is needed to bring these elements into your d20 fantasy games that are outside the EverQuest universe. The art and illustrations are top notch, and the book is laid out well enough that makes referencing easy. If I have any complaints, it would be the books lack of an index. The stats for the NPCs seem cramped, possibly to save on space and page count.
page #122:
“ Geyser worms are snake-like creatures formed of steam, lava, and flame. Their eyes glow a bright orange-red, like the center of a hot coal as the wind blows across it, and their skin ripples and steams constantly, with patches of white shifting among spots of gold, yellow, orange, and red. They can grow up to 25 feet or more in length, though typical specimens are only slightly more than half that.”
Realms of Norrath: Dagnor’s Cauldron is a worthy supplement to the EverQuest core rulebook, adding new adventures, new monsters, and fleshing out the area in and around Dagnor’s Cauldron. This supplement also rounds out other EverQuest supplements like Monsters of Norrath, Realms of Norrath: Freeport, and the EverQuest Game Master’s Guide.
In conclusion,
Realms of Norrath: Dagnor’s Cauldron contains everything you need to further your EverQuest experience. High adventure and terrible evils await your players. Come and explore Dagnor’s Cauldron if you dare.
For more details on Sword & Sorcery Studios and their new Supplement “Realms of Norrath: Dagnor’s Cauldron” check them out at their website http://www.EQrpg.com, and at all of your local game stores.
(Product Summary)
Realms of Norrath: Dagnor’s Cauldron
From: Sword & Sorcery Studios
Type of Game: Supplement
Written by: Anthony Pryor, Aaron Rosenberg, and Stephanie Smith
Developed by: Scott Holden-Jones
Cover Art by: Eric Polack
Additional Art by: Ed Bourelle, David Griffith, Brian LeBlanc and Tyler Walpole
Number of Pages: 144
Game Components Not Included: Requires the Players Handbook from WotC
Retail Price: $ 24.99 (US)
Number of Players: 2 or more
Item Number: WW16515
IBSN: 1-58846-953-0
Website: www.EQrpg.com
Reviewed by: Bill Perman
