This article originally appeared in d20 Weekly
Faeries
Published by Bastion Press
Written by Bryon Wischstadt
128-page color softcover; $27.95
Much of what made elves and the so-called fey creatures interesting in myth and folklore had been lost in the translation to the d20 System. Once, these creatures inhabited a mystical faerie realm, accessed powerful magicks, were essentially immortal, and often spoken of in the same breath as minor deities, and were indeed one with the natural world. At the gaming table, they were reduced to a shadow of their former glory and lost all of what made them fascinating to our medieval forebearers. The Pendragon roleplaying game got in right almost 20 years ago, and now so too has Bastion Press with its newest releases: Faeries. It's been a long wait, but the end makes it all worthwhile.
Faeries is a 128-page sourcebook designed to recapture the true essence of these enigmatic creatures. Presented in a world-neutral format, it allows for easy use in nearly any gaming world. It's a very attractive book to be sure, enriched with brightly colored, largely above-average quality illustrations, and boasting an attractive cover that leaves no doubt as to the subject matter. The layout balances utilitarian concerns with aesthetic appeal quite nicely; one particularly nice touch was the parchment-paper background used for the various tables, charts, and sidebars scattered throughout the book.
Best of all, author Bryon Wischstadt clearly knows his stuff. His grasp of the d20 System mechanics is strong and . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: May 14, 2003
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