Before we dedicate ourselves to the actual review of Under the Scale, as usual, we would like to thank the author Chris Gunning and Weaponized Ink for sending us a digital copy to watch it together.

Under the Scale is a supplement and a campaign for the world’s most popular role-playing game. But it also addresses some clichés to go further and address the cultures of the various species present in the setting in a coherent and diversified way.

If after reading these lines you would like to purchase the manual, you can find it on the DriveThruRPG website for 12 dollars, around 11 euros at the current exchange rate.

The author is not new to this type of approach, if you don’t know his style and versatility, we refer you to our review of his game The Hammer and The Stake.

Unusual Premises for a Truly Special Setting

Under the Scale is a real setting with a world of its own. We speak of Taragainya, a kingdom where cultures were once vibrant, now reduced to survival by the advent of the Great Dragons. Communities splintered into smaller and smaller groups to hide from the Dragons’ agents. Many Elves, Humans and Dwarves retreated to magical fortresses in the hope that the Dragons and their minions would not follow them. Now there are signs that this horror is coming to an end. All the Great Dragons, except one, are asleep. It’s time to open the doors of magical fortresses and explore the world to reclaim ancient legacies.

These are the premises of the setting of Under the Scale, which presents itself as an interesting in-depth look at the approach to playable species and beyond.

A New Approach to Races Management

The settings that are based on the longest-running fantasy role-playing game ever are countless and juggling the products, whether official or not, is not always easy. Each work tries to be original in its way, but not always succeed.

Under the Scale is certainly a product that hits the mark in this sense. The setting is wide-ranging and the game world is credible and has a life of its own; in this way it places the characters in the context, providing, thanks to the management of the lineages, solid objectives and goals right from the creation of the card.

What seemed particularly interesting to me is the realistic approach, if we can talk about realism when approaching a fantasy world, to the management of the characters. Creatures are truly large, with everything that an unusual size entails in terms of characteristics. Likewise, small creatures are more agile and faster. In short, Under the Scale avoids that flattening, even on an interpretative level, that is often seen at the gaming table.

The manual, in addition to presenting the classic bloodlines redesigned to adapt them to the game world, also introduces new bloodlines; in particular, I want to talk to you about the Stou hybrid and the half-giants known as Gargants.

Stou and Gargants: New Protagonists in the Setting

Alongside original and well-characterized versions of elves, dwarves, humans and more, in Under the Scale, we find Stou, half-breed dwarves and Gargants, or half-giants.

The former is in fact a cross between humans and dwarves, they tend to be strong, intelligent and willing to take risks. The latter derive from unfortunate interactions between the populace and the Giants but, over time, they have become a connecting bridge between the two communities.

What seemed most interesting to me, beyond the introduction of two new playable bloodlines, is the depth with which they are all addressed. For each race, there is a background connected to the setting, specific traits, hints at their language as well as details on predispositions. With these tools, there is no risk of interpreting an elf or a human in the same way, not even at the first level.

Some aspects that I find particularly interesting about Under the Scale are the new subclasses, the consistent restrictions and the changes to abilities and magic that integrate perfectly with the proposed setting. For each class, as well as for each lineage, different options for character creation are listed, to always create unique and unforgettable PCs.

A Solid and Tidy Setting in which to Immerse Yourself

We emerged from the holdfast into a world we recognized, but that was no longer our own. The elders told wonderful stories, spoke of green fields, sprawling civilizations, and blue skies. We longed for a return, but the reports were never favorable. So we waited. Until we could not. What welcomed us was a blasted wasteland painted in muted browns, dreary grays, and the occasional sickly green. We were not welcome here. This was a land torn down by dragons and only suitable for the dead. It is what we have. Perhaps one day, with great sacrifice, the land may be ours again…

With these words, the setting of Under the Scale opens, which across its 150 pages is outlined with incredible coherence. The timeline offered for the kingdom of Taragayna is broad but offers plenty of wiggle room to insert your own stories.

A world ravaged by great dragons, reduced to ashes and held under the iron rule of dominant creatures; this is what awaits the characters who want to immerse themselves in the proposed setting. Chris Gunning has accustomed us to solid writing and extremely credible contexts. Reading the pages of the manual I visually found myself in the atmosphere of a 2002 film: Reign of Fire, free from any technology. The game world is precisely described, not only detailing the various historical periods but also each of the eight great and evocative dragons.

We also find an entire chapter dedicated to the organizations of Taragainya, twenty and one which describes in a concise but effective way the main reference places of the continent.

The opponents presented in a simple and very clear way cannot be missed, thanks also to the tables for immediate consultation.

Under the Scale Aesthetics Review

From a purely aesthetic point of view Under the Scale is not a particularly graphic manual. The font chosen is perhaps a little small for the proposed layout and the choice of the single column is not always optimal for reading. However, the images convey the rough and difficult atmosphere of the proposed setting very well and precisely underline the arguments of the text.

There is no doubt that the focus of the entire product is on the validity of the text, aided in navigation by a precise and timely index.

Conclusions of Under the Scale Review

In many ways Under the Scale has an almost cinematic descriptive approach: it wastes no time, offers you everything you need and throws you into a raw and believable world that still leaves room for the imagination of the DMs and players.

In conclusion, the author, with a humility that is rarely seen, asks for readers’ help in finding printing errors or slowness in the mechanics, so that his product can take on a life of its own, improve and expand. We didn’t find any but we’ll pass the task back to you; Under the Scale deserves to be discovered and experienced with fullness.

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