Pyramid Review
Shadow World Master Atlas, Third Edition (for Rolemaster)
Published by Eidolon Studio
Written by Terry Kevin Amthor
222 b/w pages (plus 8 color map pages); $30.00
The Shadow World, once the background world for ICE's fantasy game Rolemaster, has found a home with one of its creators, Terry K. Amthor. His one-man company Eidolon Studio has already published three regional sourcebooks with completely new material, and now he has revisited the introduction to this world of high fantasy, the Shadow World Master Atlas.
For those who are unacquainted with it, Kulthea -- the Shadow World -- is a planet of many continents and a myriad of cultures, ranging from primitive tribes to civilizations on the verge of the industrial stage. While these cultures are often isolated from each other by oceans, mountains or magical barriers, there are some organizations whose power and ambitions span the globe. The most prominent of these are the Loremasters, benevolent mages who prefer giving advice to more direct ways of interference; the Dragonlords, an evil cabal of powerful shapechangers; and the Navigators, a guild of journey guides whose services include instantaneous teleportation for those who can afford it. The inhabitants of the world are standard issue (humans, dwarves, elves and some oddballs), but the strength and charm of this setting derives less from the originality of its ingredients and more from their unique treatment: in spite of its . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: August 10, 2001
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