Amarath is a sandbox campaign for Dragonbane by Robin Fjärem, plunging your heroes into an isolated realm in the void, where the ancient battle between law and chaos will inexorably unfold. Will your players stand and defend what is left against the coming deluge of unfettered chaos? In a way, what choice do they have?
Beyond the veil of sanity, a world lies
Amarath, Robin Fjärem
Earth warped and madness in the skies
Ruined towns and broken tribes remain
Hope is shattered, nothing left but pain
Chaos reigns, terrible its wrath
Enter the realm of Amarath
The lovely physical book is almost exactly my favourite format, with A5 dimensions, 120 pages, and everything you need to play the game in succinct and well set out prose. Darlings had been sacrificed to keep the book down to a more focused size. Everything is targeted for quick and accessible play. A page of history, to set some context, and a couple of pages on how to run the setting, be it a full sandbox campaign, or some one off adventures. After applying some story hooks for player characters, you are pretty much good to go.
The setting has nine areas, each quickly described and then accompanied by an ‘Explore’ and ‘Event’ table that spices up the experience of being there. From there we have 15 adventure locations, 7 of which describe a build up to key final apocalypse. Each location could be an evening’s entertainment, and the whole campaign a neat and manageable 15 week longer form of play.
Infused with Moorcockian energy, Amarath provides a realm specific bestiary of horrors, solo tools with pointers to other sources, factions, magic items, kin, and professions. This book marks a continuation of the very high quality creativity from Robin Fjärem, whose other Fenix Silver Award winners include Shadow over Gloomshire and The Caravan’s Secret. Succinct, approachable, bubbling with creativity, and ready for play.
The digital version has a separate archive of the maps, which should make quick work of a VTT setup. I haven’t decided if my group of Marauder, Voidstalker, Cosmic Champion and Planeshifter will appear for convention one shots or a fully loaded mini campaign. Either way, I can foresee, through the malleable Void, some actual play arising from this fun addition to the legion of Dragonbane titles.
A Voidship will be leaving soon…