Elric of Melnibone: Magic of the Young Kingdoms
From: Mongoose Publishing
Reviewed by: Bill Perman
Elric of Melnibone: Magic of the Young Kingdoms is a new Supplement from Mongoose Publishing. No matter how many books you burn, there are always those that survive, hidden away only to be found by future generations that discover it’s dangerous contents.
From the back cover:
“The Cults of Law have been trying to stamp out the Cults of Chaos for an age. During this time of intense conflict, many a good book has been burned out of existence; lost forever to the fires of Law. Herein lays the manuscript for one such book, thought to be lost, yet somehow, during an investigation of its contents, the magics within were exposed to the world.
Magic of the Young Kingdoms contains a wealth of information, not just for those allied with Chaos. Within you will find new runes, along with advice on how to use them effectively. Summoning spells, the likes of which have not been seen before, shall allow you to conjure the most fearsome demons to work for you or with you.
Included are step by step guides to the Elemental Paths, along with the in depth descriptions and last known locations of ancient texts, filled with magical secrets far beyond even the most experienced sorcerer’s imagination.
The dark art of necromancy is described at length, with extensive advice to guide you through the process and keep you safe from the dangerous pitfalls that are ever present within this discipline. There is also an extensive guide to the dream worlds and their safe navigation, as one wrong move or wrong thought, could leave you stranded there forever.
The magics contained within this book are not for the faint of heart or the weak of mind. They are powerful and dangerous, never to be taken lightly. So to the brave, the strong and possibly the crazy, take up this powerful book and see the extent of where it can lead you.
”
When one decides to treat himself or his family to a dinner out, he has a choice, a restaurant or a buffet. A buffet offers far more variety and quantity, but often at the cost of quality and a good dining experience. Magic of the Young Kingdoms has that buffet feel to it.
While the back of the book boasts “a wealth of information”, I could not help but feel that each subject’s surface was merely scratched upon, and not fully explored. Indeed many of the themes covered in this book deserve their own supplement. An entire book dedicated to the dream worlds, for instance, would be great. Instead, the reader is given a supplement that feels as though the overall effort was phoned in. “The magics contained within this book are not for the faint of heart” Hardly. Most magical spells are a-typical spells seen in a hundred other supplements of a dozen other fantasy genre rpg’s.
While Elric is a unique story for fantasy fans, the game itself is not. It uses RuneQuest rules instead of its own, which is fine. But here was a great opportunity to create some inspired and original content to the genre, and yet they fall back on standard issue magic like Necromancy and Elemental magic.
The art, or lack there of, certainly doesn’t put forth any effort to wow its audience. In fact, it seems the publishing company was looking to save a buck by adding art they might have purchased off of a struggling college student they met the previous year at a gaming convention rather than shell out the money for genuine quality work.
Still, despite all this, the supplement really works well as either a GM tool or for those die hard Elric fans who want to expand their Elric RPG experience to its fullest. There are tons of stats, write-ups and descriptions of various magics to keep players coming back for more. Experienced players and GMs can certainly take the seeds planted within the books chapters to create a truly epic and long lasting gaming experience.
In conclusion,
For die-hard Elric fans, you will want to pick up this supplement. For the casual fan looking for a unique and bold concept to add to their fantasy games, you may want to pass.
For more details on Mongoose Publishing and their new Supplement “Elric of Melnibone: Magic of the Young Kingdoms” check them out at their website http://www.mongoosepublishing.com, and at all of your local game stores.
(Product Summary)
Elric of Melnibone: Magic of the Young Kingdoms
From: Mongoose Publishing
Type of Game: Supplement
Written by: Charles Green, Lawrence Whitaker and Pete Nash
Editor: Charlotte law
Cover Art by: Pascal Quidault
Additional Art by: Chad Sergeskeeter, German Ponce, Jesse Mohn, Leonardo Borazio, Nathan Furman, Phil Renne & Robin Bowles.
Number of Pages: 146
Retail Price: $ 29.95 (US)
Item Number: MGP 8146
IBSN: 978-1-906103-17-0
Website: www.mongoosepublishing.com
Reviewed by: Bill Perman
