Publisher: Troll Lord Games
What is it?
Castles & Crusades In the Shadow of Aufstrag is a box set that contains six adventure modules, a map booklet, an area map, and an encounter chart for the Blacktooth Ridge region. It is part of the Umbrage Saga, a series of adventures that take place in the aftermath of the fall of Unklar, the Horned God, and his dark empire of Aufstrag. The box set is designed for 3-8 low to mid-level characters who wish to explore the wild and dangerous lands that lie in the shadow of the ruined towers of Aufstrag.
What’s inside?
The box set contains the following items:
- The Blacktooth Ridge Map Booklet: A 16-page booklet that contains detailed maps of the six adventure modules, as well as some additional locations and features of the Blacktooth Ridge region.
- The Blacktooth Ridge Area Map: A 24″ x 36″ poster map that shows the entire Blacktooth Ridge region, including the major towns, villages, landmarks, roads, rivers, and forests. The map also has a hex grid overlay for easy travel and exploration.
- The Blacktooth Ridge Encounter Chart: A two-page chart that lists possible random encounters for each terrain type and time of day in the Blacktooth Ridge region. The chart also includes encounter modifiers based on weather, season, and moon phase.
- The Six Adventure Modules: The box set contains six adventure modules that can be played in any order or as stand-alone adventures. Each module has its own cover page, introduction, background, synopsis, adventure hooks, key locations, NPCs, monsters, treasure, and appendix. The modules are:
- A0 Rising Knight: The first module in the Umbrage Saga, where the characters are hired by a local lord to escort his daughter to her wedding in Botkinburg. Along the way, they encounter bandits, goblins, ogres, and a mysterious knight who claims to be the heir of Unklar.
- A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge: The second module in the Umbrage Saga, where the characters are sent by the lord of Botkinburg to investigate a series of raids and kidnappings by a band of orcs and goblins led by a powerful half-orc warlord named Malforten.
- A2 Slag Heap: The third module in the Umbrage Saga, where the characters are hired by a dwarven merchant to explore an ancient mine that was once part of Unklar’s empire. There they face dangers such as traps, undead, cultists, and a dragon.
- A3 Wicked Cauldron: The fourth module in the Umbrage Saga, where the characters are asked by a local witch to help her stop a coven of evil hags from completing a dark ritual that could unleash a terrible curse on the land.
- A4 Usurpers of the Fell Axe: The fifth module in the Umbrage Saga, where the characters are invited by a mysterious benefactor to join a secret expedition to infiltrate Aufstrag and steal a powerful artifact known as the Fell Axe.
- A5 The Shattered Horn: The sixth and final module in the Umbrage Saga, where the characters are caught in a deadly conflict between two factions of Unklar’s former followers: the Horned Society and the Order of the Ebon Hand.
How is it?
The box set is a great value for fans of Castles & Crusades, as it provides a lot of content and variety for a reasonable price. The adventure modules are well-written and offer a mix of overland and dungeon exploration, combat, puzzles, traps, and role-playing opportunities. The modules are loosely connected by a common theme of uncovering the remnants of Unklar’s reign and his minions’ plots to restore his power. The modules can be played in any order or as stand-alone adventures giving the Castle Keeper (CK) a lot of flexibility and choice. The map booklet and area map are useful tools for CKs to visualize and run the adventures as well as to create their own scenarios and encounters. The encounter chart is a handy reference for random encounters in Blacktooth Ridge.
The box set also serves as an introduction to Journey to Aufstrag, the next installment of Umbrage Saga which will take characters to heart of Unklar’s domain and challenge them with epic dangers and rewards. The box set provides enough background information and adventure hooks to set up Journey to Aufstrag but does not spoil or reveal too much about it. The box set also includes some hints and secrets about history and lore of Aufstrag which will intrigue and entice players to learn more.
Final verdict
Overall, I think Castles & Crusades In the Shadow of Aufstrag is a fantastic product that delivers on its promise of providing exciting and memorable adventures in a rich and detailed setting. It is suitable for both new and experienced players and CKs who enjoy classic fantasy role-playing with a twist. It is one of the best box sets I have ever played or reviewed and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Castles & Crusades or fantasy gaming in general.
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