Before tackling the review of The Black Ballad together, I would like to thank Storytellers Forge who sent us the complete volume of this impressive campaign for D&D5e in its hardcover version.
If you want to buy it after reading this review, you can find it directly on the authors’ store for 40 dollars for the digital version. If you are interested in the physical version, you can find it directly on the Amazon website thanks to an agreement made by the authors with the major print-on-demand platforms. The cost goes up but you can choose between a flexible cover for just over 60 euros and a hardcover which costs around 76 euros.
On the Storytellers Forge website you can download the colour and grayscale character sheet for free, two wonderful pieces of art for your desktop and the conversion package to play the campaign with the Pathfinder Second Edition system.
The Black Ballad Soundtrack
In recent years, many editorial products in the world of role-playing games have seen the publication of manuals with the creation of a dedicated soundtrack. Anyone who plays knows that the right musical accompaniment can transform an engaging scene into epic gameplay. To underline that the RPG is increasingly transmedia, DiAmorte accompanies the entire volume with exciting, epic, dark and unforgettable songs. To reach the soundtrack of this unique campaign, just scan the QR code at the beginning of the volume.
The tracks, ten in total (one for each chapter of the campaign), are evocative and qualitatively very interesting. Written and orchestrated by Drake Mefestta (graphic designer and singer of DiAmorte), they draw you into the atmosphere of the setting of The Black Ballad from the very first notes.
After having listened to them several times I can say that my favourite track is undoubtedly For the Glory which opens the soundtrack but which, in my opinion, could also be perfect to close the game campaign.
On the same page, in addition to these 10 tracks, there are 5 narrated tracks, five letters found at the beginning of the first 5 books of the volume. Having the text exposed by professionals frees the master from having to read it while guaranteeing the perfect atmosphere for each section of the manual. The only flaw is that the tracks are not downloadable and you must access the dedicated page every time.
A Winning Collaboration
The team that worked on the project is really large. Scrolling through the dedicated page, you may feel slightly dizzy when you think that the development team (including authors, illustrators, musicians, producers,…) is made up of 50 people.
Scrolling through the names, in addition to the DiAmorte (who are the creators of the project), we find not only well-known writers such as Andrew E.G. Gaska and Rick Heinz. There are also musicians such as Mike Pitman of Riot Games and actors, including Carlos Ferro (the voice of Leonardo Da Vinci in Assassin’s Creed).
The incredible work of this team has led to the creation of a truly complete and interesting product, which goes far beyond the game book
An Original Concept and a Versatile Volume
How many times happened that our gaming group had to interrupt the plot because the characters ran into an obstacle that was too difficult or, a huge dose of bad luck at the dice?
Generally, in order not to stop playing or not to let go of the story we were used to, we witness the creation of a new group of characters. Sometimes, it is not too dissimilar from the previous ones (and those who have never seen The Gamers: Dorkness Rising should get it to know what I’m talking about).
What would happen instead if the characters could continue their adventures once they passed, as they say, to a better life? That’s the idea beyond The Black Ballad.
The campaign is designed to be played with the 5e rules of the most famous role-playing game in the world and features high-level, if not epic, characters. However, there is a dedicated section to help the DM adjust the difficulty even for lower-level characters.
The Black Ballad, as we will see in this review, can be easily played even by those who are not passionate about D&D5e. This campaign is about choices and their consequences, not specifically about rolling a certain type of dice. The whole plot revolves around the decisions of the characters; in the background, an epic clash between two factions that despise each other. There is no shortage of fate and resurrection, themes that can be inserted and found in many other games. So don’t worry, just adapt the statistics of your opponents and monsters to fully enjoy the proposed story.
The Game Campaign
As in all other cases, when we deal with game modules (be it adventures or campaigns) we try not to make any particular spoilers to not ruin the playing experience.
However, to frame the plot at least in broad terms, it is necessary to say that The Black Ballad begins where many campaigns end: with a TPK. The characters find themselves in Sunless Crossing, a sort of purgatory, far from their presumed destinations once they die. The game campaign starts from here and unfolds in 10 chapters. Your characters can decide to explore this crossroads of souls, wait to be brought back to life (if the setting they come from allows it) or try to reach their final destination.
However, it will take weeks, months or perhaps even years before their wishes are fulfilled. In the meantime, they will discover a considerable series of dangers and obstacles. I can guarantee that it is an intriguing, intense and particularly epic adventure, which you will continue to talk about even when you have finished playing it.
Preparing to Play The Black Ballad
The DM’s task is not very easy, I admit. There is a lot of material and it is said from the beginning that it is best to read the entire campaign before starting it. The reason is simple: the plot is so well structured that it presents numerous crossroads, multiple choices and, above all, consequences. It is therefore important that the DM knows the plot and the main NPCs well to render them with the same care which they were written. The roleplay ideas that are proposed for each one certainly help in this. If that’s not enough, I advise whoever will lead the plot to listen to the audio tracks narrated several times. It is in the nuances of the voices that small but important details can be understood.
However, the players also have some work to do, more than compile the classic sheet of their characters. The idea is for each player to write, as if his character had done it, his own will and last wishes. This operation has the right to create a strong bond between the player and the character. The DM will then read all the letters to the group and prepare a eulogy for each one. They will tell what the world they left will remember about them. The group will tell who will attend the funeral and how life will continue without the presence of the PCs.
Although these are not mechanical elements necessary for the game, they will certainly be able to create the right atmosphere and the perfect bond in the gaming group. It will serve to remind them where they started from when they have to choose where to go. There is no single ending to The Black Ballad. Every choice counts. Every choice brings with it precise consequences.
Items, Monsters, NPCs and Maps
At the end of the volume, we find 5 appendices with all the game materials necessary to manage the campaign. Objects, NPCs, monsters and maps of the main locations are available to the gaming group.
Each new creature has its statistics, traits, and bonus actions. The NPCs are addressed fully; not only do they have a precise physical description, but also a well-defined personality. For the groups more inclined to social interactions, for each NPC it is indicated what reaction he may have to a possible sentimental approach.
The maps are functional, although a little small for table use. However, they can be purchased on the Storyteller Forge website for 5 dollars in digital format that can also be used on online VTT platforms.
The Black Ballad Aesthetic Review
The volume of The Black Ballad is impressive. A hard cover and excellent binding will protect it from the most serious signs of wear. I leafed through the manual more and more to write this review and the only detail that was slightly damaged was a corner of the cover.
The paper is thick and of excellent quality, the full-page print in shades of grey leaves room for hints of color in the illustrations. All the graphic works are entrusted to a team of artists of the caliber of Lin Romanov, Carolyn Arcabascio and Jonathan Fernandes. The artistic development team for this campaign is so vast that I refer you to the website page to discover them all.
I appreciated the choice to keep the paper matte. If on the one hand the illustrations lose a bit of brilliance, on the other the reading is certainly easier and the perception by touch improves.
As I said at the beginning of the review, The Black Ballad is an impressive volume, of more than 300 pages. The A4 format does not make it particularly transportable, but I assure you that on the gaming table and in the bookcase it stands out. This thanks to its cold colours all played in shades of blue and purple.
Conclusions of The Black Ballad Review
In conclusion, I can honestly say that in a very dense panorama of products for D&D5e, The Black Ballad is a must-have. The care with which the entire project was created is undoubted. The quantity and quality of all the materials is such that you don’t regret the cover price at all.
If you want an epic, well-structured campaign with a thrilling soundtrack, unforgettable NPCs and intriguing, breathtaking atmospheres, The Back Ballad is absolutely for you!
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