By Bruce Boughner, Staff Reviewer

*Chairman's Note: This is the second review of this product. The first may be found here.

Available from FRP Games

Dawnforge RPG HC
Retail $34.95 Sale $27.95

Initiative Round
Dawnforge: Crucible of Legend is a 254-page campaign setting published by Fantasy Flight Games . The authors are Greg Benage, Mark Chance, David Lyons, Darrell Hardy, Ari Marmekk, Wil Upchurch, Sam Witt and Ross Watson. The cover is by Mitch Cotie and features a quartet of primal adventurers in a boat passing through the canal of an antediluvian city with a volcano smoldering on the horizon and it is available for $34.95.

Dawnforge: Crucible of Legend is the newest of Fantasy Flight Games campaign setting and features a time when immortals walked the earth before they ascended the heavens or plunged to the hells, magic remains in its infancy and the giants of legend walk the earth. There are no clerics or priests yet as there are no gods, as we know them. In real world mythology, this would be the time of Hercules and Perseus, Gilgamesh or Conan. Atlantis has not fallen beneath the waves and Noah hasn't built an ark. Dinosaurs can still walk the earth as the predecessors of the monsters of a standard D&D world. The first sixteen pages of introduction of the tome are in full color much like the Midnight campaign setting. We are introduced to the world of Eadar, a quick gazetteer of a dozen paragraphs covers the vastness of this early world. A two-page full color map is also included so you can flip back and forth from the descriptions to the map to get a better idea of geographical relations. The legendary races and civilizations are also covered in brief. These are more social histories that give an insight into the races before going into detail on their characteristics and stats.

Chapter one presents the races of Eadar, there are some very interesting surprises available for use. Starting with Doppelgangers as a character race with a shared oral tradition of stories, these characters gain in constitution but suffer in strength and social standing often spies among the human races but revered leaders among lizard folk. Three kingdoms of dwarves live on Eadar and are the one of the oldest races on the continent of Ambria. Even in the dawn times, the dwarves have a reputation for isolationism and renown as smiths. Even in this time there are two races of elves, the Dawn Elves and the Night Elves with much of the same differences as Sylvan Elves and Drow have in this age although the feeling of schism and persecution are just now beginning. Gnomes of this world do not need to eat or drink and as they age they begin to be drawn into the Fae realm they become intangible. Halflings are the gypsies of the world traveling in brightly colored caravans. Humans come in four races, Highlanders, Lowlanders, Saltbloods and True-born. Lizard Folk are another new character race to use. Much like the American Indians, they were 'discovered' on the Western continent of Tamerland and mistakenly thought to be an elder race of Yuan-ti. Minotaurs are also available as characters, once slaves to the giants; they are a scattered race of doughty warriors. Also a race enslaved by the giants; Ogres are another available race to play, barbaric foes of the dwarves. Orcs also thrive across the realms of this world, not quite the raging beasts we are familiar with they try to emulate humans, dwarves and elves unsuccessfully. Tieflings are common on this world ruling an empire on pacts with elder demons. Yuan-Ti is the last race available to the players, ruling the Jungles of Zangala. Each race gains transformations as they gain levels. These racial transformations are similar to evolutionary steps as they gain the racial abilities of the races we are now familiar with.

Classes are the focus of chapter two. There are new classes that reflect the pre-historical times. With no gods and immortals walking the earth there are no clerics or priests, but there are Disciples, worshippers of those whose visionary ideas or actions has raised them above the norm and allowed them to grant their abilities to others. Rather than receiving the calling as most priest do, an immortal watches and then seeks out those individuals they think have the potential to spread their word. Shaman is also a class that can be played. Deeply spiritual and attuned to the forces of nature, the Shaman are the predecessors of the Druids. Shapers are the last of the divine classes, tapping the divine power held in all natural objects, they can manipulate divine energy without a patron channeling it to them. Spirit Adepts are similar to Shapers but cannot cause the spectacular effects, instead they channel the spirits into becoming better fighters, much like a monk. Legendary classes are also offered like the Dawn Archer, an elven class where the archer trains from childhood to become a legendry shot. Fleetwinds are humans that become so swift it is nearly inhuman, much like the marathon runner in ancient Greece, carrying messages. The Epic General really needs no explanation but Alexander the Great, Odysseus and Julius Caesar spring to mind. The Icon, Master Arcanist and the Unsuffering round these classes out. As a character grows, they gain legendary points and choose a Legendary Path such as the Path of the Mighty or the Path of the Wise.

The new rules in chapter three cover Feats, Magic and the Immortals. Only three new feats are introduced, Exotic Shield Proficiency, Craft Magic Pouch (Item Creation) and Craft Spell Fetish (Item Creation). Racial equipment comes next with things like the Shineblade for Dawn Elves or Serrated Horncaps for Minotaurs. Arcane magic in Dawnforge is a little different from the system we are familiar with as it has yet to be developed. Instead magic is divided into four aspects, Life, Entropy, Dreams and Dominion. Any standard spell can be broken down into these four aspects, for example Entropy can contain those spells of the Evocation, Necromancy and Transmutation schools while Life contains Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination and Transmutation. When a character first begins to study magic they undergo a ritual that binds them to one of the four aspects. Places of Power called Eldritch Wells aid spellcasters and bolster the power of their spells. Seven immortals are presented as known entities of this world such as Mordin the Dwarven spirit of stone and the Storm King.

Chapter four deals in the history of Eadar. This history comes mainly from the dwarves as they have the oldest written language and that Eadar formed out of raw planar matter and that no gods were involved in the planets making. Civilization is only around 1000 years old and the world was cold and icy before that with giants and dragons ruling the earth under the stewardship of the Storm King. The dwarves and giants went to war shortly after this. As this went on, farther to the south, the tieflings began to form their empire. The history continues until it reaches the most recent times.

Chapter five begins a gazetteer of Eadar. This is accomplished beginning with the continent of Ambria and starting with the heartlands of Anderland and explores its history and then the different races combining into the present and the status of the kingdom. The main settlements of the kingdom are then described in moderate detail. The languages, governing bodies, religion, trades & crafts, ways & traditions of the region are then discussed. These include thing like druids and the Panthic Order and the Griffin Company. A trio of NPCs are given as leaders of the region like Prince Baris Luchen and Gyrn Arnnath, the elder druid. Several features like the Barrows of the Old Kings and the Ruins of the Serpent Folk.

The sixth chapter handles Kingsmarch and the Highlands. This is a combination land of plains, forests and mountains with a population of humans, dwarves and giants with a tradition royal line and nobility inhabiting it. This is a rough-hewn land of a hardy people of five great kingdoms. The Highlands are very similar to both Kingsmarch and Anderland but are one of the oldest cultures on the continent. This land of barbarians has no centralized government and has a rich bardic tradition.

The Mountain Kingdoms are in chapter seven. This land serves as the border between the lands of the dwarves and giants. Aradath, the kingdom of Green Mountains, is home to three kingdoms of dwarves. Each of the kingdoms specializes in different trades. Kaenhar dwarves are tradesmen serves as mediators between the other dwarven kingdoms and the rest of the continent. Mathog dwarves are artisans of legend while Grimhal dwarves are the miners of legend. The other race of this region are the giants of Skyhome. Founded by the Storm King after his war with Thorngul, the Wyrm of Winter, this land is home to all breeds of giants from hill to frost, cloud and stone.

The Sildanyr kingdom of the elves is the next chapter. A kingdom of fey forests and home to many of the fey races, elves, gnomes, dryads, sprites and others, it is pounded by storms from the ocean in the rainy season and winters can be brutal but the soil is incredibly rich and the envy of farmers the world over. The Night Elves have recently converted to worship of the immortal Baleth, who is teaching them the ways of the wolf, spider and bat. Turning away from the sylvan ideal and embracing violence and bloodshed. The elves connection to the fey realm of Itheria is strengthened every few years when the realms come close and renews the elves connection to fey magic, leaving Itheria has brought mortality to the elves, before coming to Eadar, they only died in battle, now having been in this world for 300 years they are starting to exhibit signs of aging.

Valhedar & Zangala are the featured regions of chapter nine. Valhedar is the Dominion of the Tieflings, an area of wetlands & moors, deserts & highlands that hide escaped slaves and brigands in their volcanic stretched. This is a land of Machiavellian politics and intrigue where dueling and gladiatorial combat are common and murder of the 'lesser' races goes without consequence. The deserts of Valhedar give way to the savanna, bogs and jungle of Zangala, home to the nation of Yuan-Ti. Divided into four bloodlines and following the immortal serpent Zalaph, the serpent folk are beginning to embark on a path of conquest, enslaving lizard folk, troglodytes and halflings.

Chapter ten leads us to the Lands of the Sunset Reach describing the Dreaming Isles and Tamerland. The Dreaming Isles were settled 500 years ago by seamen and remains the bastion of the saltblood race of humanity and are explorers and learned folk. Tamerland is an uncharted realm of forests and mountains that is home to many undiscovered creatures and lizard folk. It is becoming a colonial outpost and place of imperial growth for the kingdoms from Ambria.

Monsters are the topic of chapter eleven. Outsiders, devils and demons are common to the Dawnforge setting while dragons are even more rare. The fey are abundant in this early pristine world as are undead but more importantly, the 'first' of such creatures as basilisk, chimera, hydra and medusa make their seminal appearances here. There is also five new creatures presented such as the Atzaran and Stone Troll.

Chapter twelve provides Saga of the Giant Kings. A legendary adventure and quest to set characters on their legendary paths is the purpose of the story. The adventure involve the conflict of the Storm King and the half-dragon Anlar Icefang and the dwarves of the Stormfell mountains.

Critical Hit
Dawnforge, as the second campaign setting for Fantasy Flight Games, takes us into areas only briefly touched on before in the Netherese series by TSR. The time of pre-history before the Elminsters, Bigbys and Tensers, when magic was fresh and the relationships of the races are still new. This affords the DM the opportunity to introduce many of the disparate thing floating around in the D20 world like the Relics & Rituals: Excalibur of Sword & Sorcery or the gem magic of the Demonwars setting of Fast Forward Games into a world that is essentially tabula rasa for what ever magic, monster or treasure they want to incorporate. As a FFG book, it fits well with their Legends & Lairs series to add monsters, magic and other surprises. Another interesting step is that they label their OGL on a chapter-by-chapter basis, letting you know immediately what is useable and open and what is not.

Critical Fumble
I don't know if it is a failing of their current printer, but my book did what many of the Midnight books did and started to break in the binding almost immediately. I don't know what needs to be done to alleviate this damage but a format change may be required here, either going all color or all black & white. This is a real sticking point to purchase a book at this price and have it falling apart before it ever makes my game table.

Coup de Grace
Dawnforge has a great idea that needs to be nurtured by Fantasy Flight Games as it has the potential of a newborn babe. A world so fresh that the established traditions we are used to have yet to be written. By the same token, many of the familiar feats, skills and magic may not exist yet as it has yet to be created or discovered. But this can be the springboard to many, many adventures to discover that mystery ingredient for a spell or slay a fell beast before it propagates into a serious environmental danger to the area. It is truly a crucible to forge new legends in, but that is not everyone's cup as many people are comfortable in the current conventions and traditions and may have a hard time taking a giant step backwards. I know that I am serious considering adapting my current game to this setting

Review Scores:

Overall Total (Does not include OGL Rating): 114
Final Grade: A-