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cybergoths's review
5.0
TL;DR: I really like Through Sunken Lands, but that's hardly surprising with my background of running Stormbringer. The game itself is a light version of D&D with a unique magic system. The playbooks and scenario pack bring a unique style to the game, ideally for one-shot or episodic games. Jundarr and the Sunken Lands are presented in a broad-brush approach with leaves you wanting to fill the spaces and explore. As I read through the game I wanted to dive in and set up a game, and I was torn between exploring the Hundred Seas and the Great City. This is one I hope to get to the table.
Through Sunken Lands was quietly released by Flatland Games at the end of 2020, and instantly caught my attention, because this was a development of the game methodology and system presented in Beyond the Wall. This is an evolution of D&D designed for one-shot use; players create characters using playbooks and the GM uses a scenario pack to create a game for a session, drawing upon the background that the players create to create hooks and interrelationships.
Beyond the Wall focused upon young adults coming of age and exploring the land around their homes. Through Sunken Lands embraces the swords and sorcery genre, particularly in the style of Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion, Fritz Leiber's Fafhd & the Grey Mouser, and Robert E Howard's Conan.
The game is presented as a 212-page colour hardback book printed by DriveThruRPG using Lightning Source. The layout is a very clean two-column approach using blue as an accent colour. There are colour plates for the chapters and the line art is printed in a shade of blue. Although a similar approach has been taken to Beyond the Wall, it feels different in tone. The cover shows a battle between a sorcerer and a weird tentacled creature in a ruined city. It doesn't quite work for me, but it does nail the genre well.
The book is broken into six sections;
1. the core rules
2. how-to-play
3. spells and magic
4. bestiary
5. Jundarr & the Sunken Lands
6. playbooks and scenario packs
The book opens with a short introduction that encapsulates the genre that it is seeking to emulate in a number of key principles.
* The world feels young (there are civilised lands but much of the world is unexplored and unknown)
* The world is old (numerous civilisations have risen and fallen, leaving ruins and artefacts behind)
* The spaces beyond (the world exists as just one in a multiverse and is not significant)
* Law and Chaos (these two forces are locked in an eternal struggle across the multiverse)
* Magic is rare and dangerous (and probably corrupting)
* Fortune and adventure (characters are restless and hungry for more)
The core rules are based on those in Beyond the Wall, and sidebars throughout the book suggest where the material from that game could be used to expand what is presented. The game is classic D&D inspired with classes, levels and hit-points. There are three character classes; warriors (the best at fighting), mages (magic wielders) and rogues (skilful and lucky).
Rest of review here as it is too long: https://delta-pavonis.blogspot.com/2021/03/first-impressions-through-sunken-lands.html
Through Sunken Lands was quietly released by Flatland Games at the end of 2020, and instantly caught my attention, because this was a development of the game methodology and system presented in Beyond the Wall. This is an evolution of D&D designed for one-shot use; players create characters using playbooks and the GM uses a scenario pack to create a game for a session, drawing upon the background that the players create to create hooks and interrelationships.
Beyond the Wall focused upon young adults coming of age and exploring the land around their homes. Through Sunken Lands embraces the swords and sorcery genre, particularly in the style of Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion, Fritz Leiber's Fafhd & the Grey Mouser, and Robert E Howard's Conan.
The game is presented as a 212-page colour hardback book printed by DriveThruRPG using Lightning Source. The layout is a very clean two-column approach using blue as an accent colour. There are colour plates for the chapters and the line art is printed in a shade of blue. Although a similar approach has been taken to Beyond the Wall, it feels different in tone. The cover shows a battle between a sorcerer and a weird tentacled creature in a ruined city. It doesn't quite work for me, but it does nail the genre well.
The book is broken into six sections;
1. the core rules
2. how-to-play
3. spells and magic
4. bestiary
5. Jundarr & the Sunken Lands
6. playbooks and scenario packs
The book opens with a short introduction that encapsulates the genre that it is seeking to emulate in a number of key principles.
* The world feels young (there are civilised lands but much of the world is unexplored and unknown)
* The world is old (numerous civilisations have risen and fallen, leaving ruins and artefacts behind)
* The spaces beyond (the world exists as just one in a multiverse and is not significant)
* Law and Chaos (these two forces are locked in an eternal struggle across the multiverse)
* Magic is rare and dangerous (and probably corrupting)
* Fortune and adventure (characters are restless and hungry for more)
The core rules are based on those in Beyond the Wall, and sidebars throughout the book suggest where the material from that game could be used to expand what is presented. The game is classic D&D inspired with classes, levels and hit-points. There are three character classes; warriors (the best at fighting), mages (magic wielders) and rogues (skilful and lucky).
Rest of review here as it is too long: https://delta-pavonis.blogspot.com/2021/03/first-impressions-through-sunken-lands.html
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