Sandbox and storyline campaigns typically really feel like they’re on reverse ends of a spectrum. Storyline campaigns really feel like a customized film constructed for gamers that reply to their actions. Sandbox campaigns interact within the pleasure of discovery and permit gamers to pursue the areas and characters that curiosity them probably the most. Righteous Vow Vol. 1: The Lich King of Ul primarily positions itself as a sandbox marketing campaign with a number of areas for gamers to go to of their battle in opposition to the large undead dangerous man within the title. It’s a brief Shadowdark marketing campaign that pits gamers in opposition to a heap of undead as they search methods to defeat the Lich King. Is the marketing campaign righteous or bogus? Let’s play to search out out.
Righteous Vow Vol. 1: The Lich King of Ul begins off with a reasonably primary setup. The gamers meet a shadowy dwarf in a shadowy tavern with a story to inform. His lands are dominated by a lich king and his folks toil within the grime as a result of their titles have been stripped and their gold stolen. The dwarf palms over a map with six castles marked on it. Certainly one of these areas is Citadel Zardu the place the Lich King guidelines with a skeletal fist. The others are occupied by members of his household, every one cursed in their very own means by the darkish magic the King embraced for his immortality. It’s as much as the gamers to search out the King, discover his weaknesses and produce mild again to the darkened kingdom.
Whereas the setup is slightly wobbly in spots, I recognize designer Invoice Harvat’s dedication to Shadowdark’s brevity. The primary citadel may be randomly positioned in one of many areas on the map. Every location offers some tips in what order they need to be tackled, although DMs are inspired to let gamers discover this out the arduous means. I additionally favored this construction permitting gamers an opportunity to have some wilderness encounters or drop off loot on the town in between dungeons. This might have simply been a multilevel megadungeon, however this play cycle retains the gamers on the transfer moderately than worrying if one thing has moved right into a degree they’ve already cleared.
The minibosses on the finish of every dungeon perform in two methods. They’re naturally the large fight on the finish of the exploration however in addition they function characters within the larger story of the Lich King. Some are tragic, some are monstrous, some are villainous however they every performed a job in driving the overarching story. It offers the gamers extra incentive to take a look at every citadel past their being extra loot in them thar retains. Every dungeon options round 10 rooms or so, which places this marketing campaign at round 20 periods or so relying on how steadily the gamers have encounters within the wilderness or make a journey again to city to buy.
I’d in all probability add a couple of bits have been I to carry Righteous Vow Vol. 1: The Lich King of Ul to my desk. Fleshing out the city offers gamers NPCs and causes to battle the dangerous man past treasure and XP. I’d in all probability add in some bits from Into The Wyrd and Wyld for some memorable encounters within the woods. I’d additionally think about mixing up a number of the encounter varieties within the manor homes. It is sensible that lots of them are undead variations given the overarching villain, however I’d need to change a couple of issues as much as hold gamers from spending an excessive amount of cash on silver weapons and vials of holy water. Whereas not a whole marketing campaign beast like Citadel Whiterock or one thing comparable, there is a good backbone to construct on for folks trying to check out Shadowdark.
Backside Line: Righteous Vow Vol. 1: The Lich King of Ul is a stable begin to a Shadowdark marketing campaign that gives freedom and a compelling storyline on the identical time.
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