Publisher: Autarch
The Eye Is Opening.
Thousands of years ago, living gods named Khepri wielded powers beyond understanding. Their bizarre magics rived a rent in reality itself. This portal—the Oculus—led to the deepest realms of Chthonic Darkness, but it was not yet fully open. Malign forces, opposed to all life, infested the Oculus, and waited. The Khepri kept vigil over the Oculus till time moved her hand. When the Khepri vanished in the Day Without Night, their Elven epigones took up the watch. In time, the Elves were conquered by the diabolic Thrassian race, and they in turn were subjugated by the Zaharans. Through the millennia, the caretakers of the Oculus studied, waited, and watched.
Now the Awakening is near, the Spheres are coming into alignment, and the Oculus is beginning to open. The dark power is reaching out and for the first time in an age the Eyrie of the Dread Eye is accessible again. As the Eye opens, reality itself comes under further and further strain. And as rumors of a new valley containing an underground forgotten city filled with untold riches spread out from the Dark Wall, the Oculus continues to open ever wider.
Review of Eyrie of the Dread Eye: An Epic Adventure for ACKS
Eyrie of the Dread Eye is an adventure ready to play for the Adventurer Conqueror King System (ACKS) and other d20-based role-playing games. In this review, I will tell you what I liked and disliked about this book, and why I recommend it to fans of epic and mysterious fantasy.
What is Eyrie of the Dread Eye?
Eyrie of the Dread Eye is a book written by Alex Macris and published by Autarch LLC in 2019. It is part of the Auran Empire series, set in a fantasy world inspired by the history and mythology of antiquity.
The book contains an adventure designed for characters of level 9-12, who will have to explore the ruins of the eye of terror, a gigantic structure shaped like an eye that stands on a snowy mountain. The eye of terror is the door to the deepest darkness, opened by the ancient gods in a remote era. Now, a dark threat is awakening, and the characters will have to face its dangers and its mysteries.
The book is divided into four chapters: the first introduces the setting, the history and the rules of the adventure; the second describes the outside of the eye of terror and its defenses; the third presents the inside of the eye of terror and its rooms; the fourth contains the appendices with the statistics of the monsters, the magic items, the maps and the indexes.
Why I liked Eyrie of the Dread Eye
I enjoyed reading Eyrie of the Dread Eye because it made me live an exciting and original adventure. The book is well written, rich in details and suggestive images. The author has created an atmosphere of tension and mystery, mixing elements of horror, science fiction and fantasy.
The adventure is full of challenges, puzzles, fights and discoveries, that will test the skills and ingenuity of the characters. The book also offers many possibilities to develop the plot in different ways, depending on the choices of the players and the master.
I liked the references to Greek and Roman mythology, which gave depth and consistency to the world. I also liked the monsters and magic items, which were creative and well described.
What I disliked about Eyrie of the Dread Eye
The only thing that I disliked about Eyrie of the Dread Eye was the difficulty of some parts of the adventure, which sometimes seemed too high or unfair. Some situations were potentially lethal for the characters, without giving them many chances to escape or negotiate.
For example, in the second chapter there is a trap that can kill instantly a character if he fails to pass a very high saving throw. Also, in the third chapter there is a very powerful enemy that can control the mind of the characters if they do not resist his spell. These situations can be frustrating or discouraging for the players, especially if they are not prepared or warned.
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The most thrilling encounters and combats in Eyrie of the Dread Eye
Eyrie of the Dread Eye has several encounters and combats that are challenging, exciting and memorable. Some of them are:
- The encounter with the giant eagle at the entrance of the eyrie. The giant eagle is a loyal guardian of the eye of terror, and will attack anyone who tries to enter. The giant eagle has a powerful beak and claws, and can fly and dive at high speed. The giant eagle can also use its keen sight and hearing to spot hidden or invisible enemies. The giant eagle is a formidable opponent, especially for characters who are not prepared for aerial combat.
- The combat with the dread eye in the central chamber of the eyrie. The dread eye is a huge eyeball that floats in the air, surrounded by tentacles and smaller eyes. The dread eye is the source of the dark power that infests the eyrie, and can use various spells and abilities to harm or control the characters. The dread eye can cast spells like fireball, lightning bolt, hold person, charm person, fear, and more. The dread eye can also use its gaze to paralyze, petrify, or kill anyone who looks at it. The dread eye is a very dangerous enemy, especially for characters who are not resistant to magic or mind-affecting effects.
- The encounter with the ancient god in the depths of the eye of terror. The ancient god is a colossal being that resembles a dragon with six wings and four legs. The ancient god is one of the Khepri, the living gods who opened the eye of terror in the past. The ancient god is asleep, but can be awakened by the characters’ actions or by the dread eye’s influence. The ancient god is not hostile, but rather curious and indifferent to the characters. The ancient god can communicate telepathically with the characters, and can reveal secrets about the history and nature of the eye of terror. The ancient god can also grant boons or curses to the characters, depending on their behavior and attitude. The ancient god is a very powerful and mysterious entity, whose presence can have a great impact on the outcome of the adventure.
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