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Guide to Phaemorea
by Adrian S. [Featured Reviewer] Date Added: 07/20/2016 20:21:21

Pointy Pony Productions is a relative new-comer to Drivethrurpg, but I have watched the development of this setting with great enthusiasm. There is a strong attention to detail to make this consistent with 'Rules Cyclopedia' products - both thematically and aesthetically. It became clear from the opening pages that this is a outlier in self-published D&D titles. The book benefits from a professional approach to not only respect for intellectual property, but a desire to openly share the content. The production values are consistently and pleasingly good, whilst the accompanying text shows a mature grasp of the fantasy genre.

Many D&D products seek to build the campaign 'up' - that is, they are primarily concerned with building new classes, increasing power levels, or providing new magic items to furnish treasure hordes. Phaemorea takes the approach of improving the breadth of the campaign by offering the exploration of an alternate setting, complete with realised cultural groups that - whilst somewhat different to the usual sword and sorcery races - are well-constructed, reasonable, and internally consistent with the author's established norms for the world.

In the PDF, you will find:

  • a one-page descriptive overview of the main races of Phaemorea. At first I questioned the use of this section to open the book, but then found it a handy reference when reading the later sections. The descriptions of the races (and various human cultural groups) made picturing the various power and political groups much easier. Dedicating a page to some portrait shots of the races would have been useful in this section, but the absence is not a major issue for this reviewer.

  • A six-page history of the realm. Written as an over-aching narrative, this is not the standard assault of fantasy history, but rather a 'broad strokes' overview of the key events in Phaemorea. This is certainly enough to evoke the setting and provide a rationale for the functional elements of the setting. Again, I found myself returning to the description of 'internally consistent' as I read this section. The history chapter also implicitly provides the DM with plenty of plot-hooks - from magic-ravaged haunted towns, lost artefacts from previous empires, and even the ever-present frontier-like feel from the wilderness. Any DM worth their salt will be able to create entire adventures from any of the descriptions. There is also something that is absent in many other settings - a believable explanation for the formation of the 'adventurer' profession. Phaemorea is presented as a place that is in need of change, that a lot of activity is occurring across the setting, and that the actions of adventurers will matter. It leaves the reader with a strong sense of potential stories, and a desire to realise those tales.

  • The largest section of the book is Culture. This explores each of the main races, providing details about the Lifestyle, Education, Government, Law, Economy, Military, and Philosophy. Whilst many of the races and concepts will appear superficially similar to standard fantasy races, the author builds value by exploring the consequences of racial decisions. Elves are generally thought to be artistic and whimsical, but how does an economy actually function for such a people? How would adhering to a sense of honour cause Dwarves to abandon their ancestral gods? How does a nomadic barter-based cultural group work? This section not only provides interesting concepts for players who enjoy role-playing cultural norms for their characters, but also supplies plenty of fodder for the DM to make encounters more interesting, and provide local flavour in their own games.

  • The last section covers the Immortals. This overview of the gods; many of whom have already been mentioned in the previous chapters. Again, there is a fine-grain attention to detail, with a wealth of information for players and DMs. There are a lot of interesting choices here (with my favourite being Zwitarn, the Bearded Lady).

The book is small enough that navigating using the Table of Contents alone will be easily accomplished, and the printer-friendly version will still provide a very polished version for the DM. The full-colour one however is when the production values are showcased. The true value lies in the content however, the notions could be used as a complete setting, or modularised to build interest and depth in your own campaign.

My only request would be for a Glossary of Terms. The names (personal, cultural, racial, and geographical) - whilst evocative - would benefit from a centralised list so that the reader can either re-acquaint, or briefly acquaint, themselves with terms whilst reading.

At 44-pages this is a deceptive product. I had first thought to read it in a single evening, but found myself taking notes and scribbling in the margins of my printer-friendly copy. This is the sort of title that could easily be the foundation for a long and productive campaign.

Old school gamers and those looking for new challenges and horizons will be equally pleased by the title, and I look forward to reviewing future instalments for this setting (including the proposed module series).



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Guide to Phaemorea
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Creator Reply:
Thank you very much for your excellent feedback and comprehensive review! A Glossary is an excellent idea. We\'ll work on adding that for a future update, along with plans to include a Calendar for the world.
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