We are pleased to offer you the review of Sword of the Dragonslayer, an OGL licensed adventure for Old School Essentials created by Andrea Tupac Mollica, which we thank for sending us a digital copy. With his own independent label Hellwinter Forge of Wonders, Andrea is working on a series of OSR contents and we have already had the pleasure of reviewing Tales of the Wolfguard.
Sword of the Dragonslayer is available only in the digital edition on DriveThruRPG at a cost of $2.99. In addition to the manual, the digital package also includes pre-generated character sheets and the adventure’s official soundtrack. An extremely suggestive work that underlines the author’s great affinity with music, given that it is his work. A decidedly rich bundle with an extremely convenient quality-price ratio.
Review of the Volume of Sword of the Dragonslayer
Sword of the Dragonslayer counts 44 pages, and is available in three different graphic designs. The first one is the complete version, with graphics and background pages in full colour. The other two are the printer friendly versions of the manual and the one with easier readability. A choice which, as in the author’s style, tries to meet the needs of any player and reader who wishes to print a copy (in the absence of the print on demand service).
This volume maintains the graphic line of Tales of the Wolfguard: a soft yellow background that is very restful for the eyes, a not particularly saturated red for the highlighted elements and a light blue for the boxes. The skilled hand of Alessandro Paderi provided the illustrations in black and white: a slightly scratched but incisive line, which goes very well with the old school. The choice to add a colored detail from time to time with a different, extremely saturated hue to the main illustrations is always particular. A touch that is proving to be characteristic of Hellwinter Forge of Wonders productions.
The Main Features of the Adventure
These are likely the last days of Tynter unless some brave adventurers intervene
Sword of the Dragonslayer is a classic fantasy adventure for level 4-6 characters. We are therefore talking about heroes who already have experience but who are still far from the peak of their power. Before continuing to analyze it, we remind you that our reviews are strictly spoiler-free.
As anticipated, the prosperous city of Tynter, after a long peace that has weakened its strength and memory, finds itself in danger. A danger that, as the name of the adventure suggests, has wings, fangs, claws and fiery breath. However, the adventure is not so much focused on the battle itself, but rather on recovering knowledge and tools that allow us to face a threat a little beyond the characters’ normal possibilities.
Sword of the Dragonslayer therefore unfolds on several levels. The characters will have to carefully choose what to focus their attention on: the author has in fact developed a very simple time counter which, for each activity they engage in, decreases the time available before the epic epilogue. The system is very practical and does not require taking into account how long the scenes are or doing any calculations. In this way, management by the master is greatly facilitated.
Review of Sword of the Dragonslayer: Strengths
The strengths of Sword of the Dragonslayer are the writing and the details.
The first one, as typical of its author, is very intriguing but never gives in to the temptation to prevail over the game. Every product created by Andrea, already an established author with RAYN ed Hellwinter – the Role Playing Game, has the clear goal of letting people play, not just being read. And this translates into an immediate usability of everything. Each line of text serves to give a gameplay idea in a more or less direct way.
The richness of detail is what makes the immediacy of the game precious. Sword of the Dragonslayer is a classic series of difficulties leading up to the final boss, but it has several game levels. Characters can dedicate themselves to information gathering work, exploration, they can stumble upon random encounters and get hired for secondary tasks. Their choices can also lead them to face a mini side quest. The NPCs are detailed enough for the master to know how to move them but never slavishly. Each of them generates stories that end up intertwining in a dense network in which nothing is left to chance.
Game Materials
This volume contains a whole series of tools necessary to run the game. Every notable NPC has its own sheet, and every monster has its own statistics. The latter also have tables that help the master establish their behavior. Sword of the Dragonslayer is in fact, despite its compact structure, full of random events. Another reference to the old school, here however further developed because the tables are full of elements that return among the various events of the game. They thus contribute to creating a sense of narrative continuity even in different acts of the adventure.
There is no shortage of tables unrelated to the fights, also to determine the outcome of the adventure based on how the characters fare. There are in fact three main endings, each of which can have multiple outcomes. And for each of them the author has provided a series of open opportunities, having made them as flexible as possible. There are also many practical maps, created with Watabou’s ProcGen Arcana and Hexographer. Moreover we find handouts that the master can print and distribute to the players, in order to further involve them in the story.
Conclusions of the Review of Sword of the Dragonslayer
Sword of the Dragonslayer is an adventure dedicated to Old School lovers, however is not aimed exclusively at them. It definitely has the romantic charm of an old-time roleplaying game. An overall linear adventure, with mysteries to solve, artifacts to recover and enemies to defeat. However, there is a mix sophisticated enough to be enjoyable even for the most refined palates.
The work is embellished not only by the illustrations, but also by the cinematographic culture of the author, who enjoyed disseminating quotes throughout the story. Finding them becomes a sort of game within the game. Overall it can definitely guarantee a good one-shot. But a group that wants to take it easy in the various phases can even extend it for a little longer. Furthermore, we find many very interesting ideas that can be developed by inserting Sword of the Dragonslayer in larger campaigns. Ultimately it is a much more than valid product, absolutely recommended to anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the adventures of a good classic fantasy.
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