Urban Arcana for d20 Modern

 

Urban Arcana from Wizards of the Coast

Before I delve into anything else (still have to do that Starfinder review), I thought I should review the Urban Arcana Campaign Setting.  I'll be doing a page using Salt Lake City as your setting for Urban Arcana, so I thought I should review this book now.  It's available as a PDF on Drivethru (link already provided) and you can purchase a hard copy that is in paperback.  At a premium of course.

The Urban Arcana campaign is for d20 Modern, and it mixes fantasy concepts from D&D into the modern day, creating quite the unusual campaign setting.  I mean most of the time, I want to run fantasy horror (Werewolf: the Apocalypse), but sometimes good modern fantasy means Urban Arcana.  Urban Arcana is published by Wizards of the Coast through Drivethru now.  It's a good buy if you are looking for modern fantasy.  Here, you can blend drow, dragons, undead, and other beings from D&D into your d20 Modern game.  (So many products to review, so little time).  And while you aren't playing werewolves in the modern day, you can play mages and clerics.  I mean, how cool is that?

From GuruOX on Shutterstock.

 

The Nature of Shadow

The book opens up with an introduction on the book's material. Oh, and you also introduced to the concept of Shadow.  Shadow is the way which creatures of fantasy cross over into our own world.  Shadow touches a world (say like Oerth or Faerun) and brings creatures from that world to our world.  Anyone could come: elves, dwarves, drow, yaun-ti, anyone and anything.  Including orcs.  They come here, appearing like regular folks, but some people -- like your PCs -- can pierce this veil and see them as they really are.

Beyond that there are new additions to your d20 modern campaign, covered in Characters.  You see new occupations like the apothecary (really a pharmacist), psychic and shadow scholar. There are new feats ripe for the picking. This chapter introduces metamagic feats (for your mage or acolyte characters).  Along with other feats you might find cool for your character.  After that, Shadowkind (races or species) are discussed.  These include elves, orcs, dwarves, drow, and other Shadowkind, including humans.

Fantasy Elf from Shutterstock.

After that, new advanced classes and prestige classes are introduced for the d20 Modern game. These include the arcane arranger: a face class that could be linked to the Occult.  Others include the Archaic Weaponmaster, Glamourist, Shadowjack (something like a decker), speed demon, technomage and wild lord.  Prestige classes are five levels long and include: the Archmage, Artificer, the Ecclesiarch, and the holy/unholy knight.

Chapter two includes equipment.  With items like new weapons, hazmat suits, kits, generators, holy water, and other items.  The chapter also includes a list of vehicles to use for your d20 Modern campaign.  Chapter three includes new spells for your Urban Arcana campaign (and other d20 Modern games).  These are neatly divided into Arcane spells, Divine spells, and Incantations. New ones include Arcane Graffiti, Clean, Clown Car, Crawling Carpet, and others. Chapter four includes new magic items, while chapter five includes tips on running an Urban Arcana game.

Urban Fantasy from Shutterstock.

Chapter six goes over organizations included in the setting. Organizations include Department-7, Draco Industries, the Church of Pelor, Heirs of Kyuss, and others.  Including a restaurant franchise called the Prancing Pony (which is like McDonald's and Arctic Circle). After that is chapter seven, which includes a number of creatures and a drowic rock band.  Chapter eight includes a number of locations on where to set your campaign -- including a suggestion to use your own home town.  Chapter nine finishes off the book on how to meld D&D with your Urban Arcana setting.

Conclusion

If you are wondering how to run an urban fantasy campaign, Urban Arcana can definitely give you tips on how to run one.  The art is very good, and there are few considerations to think about.  You can merge D&D with Urban Arcana but it's best to start simple -- like your home town.  If you are looking for another regular fantasy setting, you can skip this book.

The Book of Erotic Fantasy Review

 

From White Wolf

This review is one that was made as a request.  I talk about it in my censorship article, and one of my players said I should give it a proper review.  So, I bought it from Drivethru and read through it, as fast as I possibly could.  It was written by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel and Duncan Scott.  The project's manager was Anthony Valterra.  Who used to work for Wizards of the Coast.  It was published by White Wolf's Art Haus.  White Wolf (Paradox Interactive) owns and publishes the book through Drivethru.

Disclaimer

This is not a book for minors.  At least, not a book for the immature. It contains photos with depictions of the naked body, sexual congress, and fetishes.  While the pictures do not affect me, some are clearly pornographic in nature and some aren't.  Since the subject matter is sex, there are pictures of people having sex (only two, mind you).  Reader discretion and parental guidance is advised.

Sex

Okay, disclaimer aside, lets talk about this very controversial book.  The book is controversial because it talks about something our culture doesn't like to talk about.  That is, as you guessed, sex.  I'm a married man, so I enjoy sex with my wife (as much as I can get it, we're currently separated as of this review).  As a nudist (as if you couldn't guess), I can talk about this openly without restraint. This review only contains a picture of the cover, and not any pictures of people -- both real and imagined, having sex.

Sex is an important part of our lives.  But our repressed culture doesn't like to talk about it. It's something discussed behind closed doors.  In roleplaying games, it's hardly something to talk about.  You make a pass at the barmaid, and the GM either has the barmaid hit your character, or if she likes you, go into a room and things fade to black.  However, without sex, none of us would be here.  Sexuality is important for us as a species to reproduce ourselves.  It's a physiological drive to have us mate.  Most of the time, it's with the opposite gender (Adam knew his wife); however there are some that seek sexual congress with the same gender.  With today's politics going about how one can change their gender, and other topics, we have to talk about sexuality some time in our games.  So lets talk about it.

This book is the result of Wizards of the Coast making a change in their d20 logo guide.  This was done long ago, and I didn't like it.  I liked seeing naked bodies in my RPG products for the d20 system.  However, Wizards of the Coast made the change in order to increase sales.  They would try to change the OGL this year for the same reasons. Yes, this book talks about sexuality, but in the context of a roleplaying game.  And this book doesn't pull any punches.

The book begins with an introduction to what the book covers.  It then goes into a discussion of Sexuality.  And boy, it has a lot to talk about.  Most of the material covered in this book is in the first chapter.  It talks about including sex in your game, and why you should include it.  It also talks about marriage, sexual taboos, the consequence of love and sex, handling sex in a mature way, and how sex fits within a roleplaying game. Given how most of this book is written for Dungeons and Dragons third edition; this chapter has good advice for any roleplaying game.  Including GURPS.

After that, rules for the d20 System is covered, including new skills and feats. All appropriate for a game that includes sex. (remember, feats are important resources within a d20 OGL game). One of the new skills included is Perform (Sexual Technique), a very good skill for everyone to have actually.  Although this skill is apparent when I do my Central Casting: Heroes of Legend review.  And I like the new feats -- some feats are described as sexual and others general. My favorites are the Kundalini feat and the Tantric feat.  As both feats give a bonus to your wisdom and your intelligence respectively -- after twenty minutes of sex.  Also, the chapter talks about crossbreeding and other matters of sex.  Also, a new ability score -- Attractiveness -- is discussed here.

The next chapter talks about introducing new classes and prestige classes into the game.  These include the imagist, which is a sorcerer that uses her attractiveness as a font for magical power.  The kundala, which is a monk that has a sexual code of conduct.  They also gain spells from sexual congress.  The Kundala works well in campaigns based off of Indian mythology.  Last new class is the Tantrist, A mixture of divine and arcane spellcaster -- and she turns sexual energy into spells.

After that comes the prestige classes, which is usual for prestige classes for games that uses the revised rules -- they are all focused on a theme.  Some of which can be useful in a game that includes sex.  These include a prestige class that is devoted to a life of Chastity.  And another for temple prostitutes.

The next chapter goes over spells.  And there is some new domains introduced for the d20 system.  And includes new spells for each spellcasting class.  Some of these spells are questionable -- plus it talks about new uses for old spells -- and the ethical ramifications for using certain mind control spells  for getting what you want.

Gods are described in the next chapter.  And there are a lot of gods having to do with sex.  Although you don't really need them, you could adapt Forgotten Realms gods to these rules easily.

The next chapter discusses magical items.  And there are some interesting ones. From sexual items to weapons, they are all discussed for use in a d20 game.  Like Pathfinder.  Then the next chapter talks about creatures, and there are no shortage of interesting creatures.  Some creatures do best as a race, while others are special in their own way.  The final chapter talks about certain adventures that can happen. And also provides about one hundred adventure seeds for use in a campaign. Finally there are two appendices and an index.

Conclusion

This is a book that really talks about IT!  If it weren't for mature readers, I suggest you get it.  It contains frank pictures of naked humans.  While not particularly attractive, all of the pictures are tastefully done and not very explicit.  There are pictures of humans having sex, but there is like two of them (also one of a human masturbating).  But it's expected in a work like this.  The book is the seminal work on sex in a roleplaying game. It is one hundred and ninety pages long and came out in a time when Wizards of the Coast got repressive to protect their sales.  Although it's a double standard since Wizards of the Coast did include a naked succubus in their revised Monster Manual for 3rd edition.

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide

 

From Paizo.com

Thought I should do something Paizo related.  Don't worry, I'll be getting to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game in quick order.  Right now, I'm reviewing the Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide.  Why, because I have a hard copy I can check out and go through it chapter by chapter.  It's an ambitious project -- recounting the Inner Sea region for campaigning using your favorite game system, not just Pathfinder.  Although I suspect my GURPS peers may have a conversion guide up (soon I'll be reviewing GURPS Banestorm and GURPS Fantasy).

The Inner Sea World Guide is quite simply, a guide to a piece of the world of Golarion called the Inner Sea.  It's as ambitious as the original Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting for 1st edition, 2nd edition, and 3rd edition.  My copy came as new, and I also have a digital copy. I refer to the hard copy I got from Amazon.  It's also the third incarnation of the Pathfinder campaign setting.

Disclaimer

This work is a fantasy world.  Thus it has many gods and the people are usually polytheistic.  Plus, there is nothing tying it to the Electric Universe.  You shouldn't take it as reality, it's a work for a game and therefore not real.  Yet. 

 Overview

Inner Sea World Map

 Lets get into it.  The first part of the book is the Introduction.  It welcomes you to the Inner Sea, a campaign setting that works with Pathfinder and written for Pathfinder.  However, like I said, you can use The Inner Sea with just about any game system you wish.  Including FATE, Rolemaster, and Dungeons and Dragons.  It describes how a god of humanity died and now the world is in need of heroes. It also describes the Inner Sea region as the trading and cultural hub of two mighty continents: Avistan and Garund.  These are based on Europe and Africa, respectively.  The book provides a broad overview of the Inner Sea region, yes.  And already I have an area I'd like to run a campaign in.  Also the introduction goes over the Pathfinder society, which is like the National Geographic Society.  Kind of.

The next part of the book goes over races.  And there are many different races that are recounted in this chapter, mostly human ones.  Then it devotes a page to the common races in Pathfinder.  The first chapter is scant, to tell the truth, but most of the meat of the book is in Chapter 2 -- The Inner Sea.

The Inner Sea region chapter goes over the Inner Sea in detail.  First water ways, including the Eye of Abendego -- which is a perpetual hurricane, like the Red Eye Spot of Jupiter. Then we get history.  And a good part of it. After the timeline, we get into the roll of nations.  Each nation in the Inner Sea region gets four pages detailing it's culture and a map of that nation.  The first nation, Absalom, gets turned into Absalom station in Starfinder (another game I'll get to reviewing).  Each kingdom and nation has a theme going for it.  For instance Andoran is based on the American Revolutionary War, while Cheliax is a kingdom where devils rule. And Jalmeray (an island kingdom) is based on Medieval Hindu India.

After the roll of Nations and Kingdoms, some effort is put forth on what is beyond the Inner Sea. Including Arcadia, Azlant, Casmaron, and Tian Xia (which is based on China and Japan, I'll review the Far East later).  Also what is recorded is the Solar System of Golarion.  Which I'll get into detail with my Starfinder review.  After that the lost empires of the Inner Sea is recounted in a section called Before the Inner Sea.  It's a hefty chapter full of information for you and me.

 

The Religion chapter goes over the Gods of the Inner Sea. There aren't a lot of Core Deities worshiped in the Inner Sea region, this is different from the Forgotten Realms powers -- where there is a a lot of them.  There are two additional domains for Pathfinder in this section and each Core Deity gets an overview of what their area concern and their domains. After that, there are a few other deities and Archdevils and demon lords.  And then other powers that are worshiped as well.  After that there is a whole section of Philosophies that are covered.   Then the great beyond is also covered -- these are the outer planes.  And each is given a section.

After that a chapter is devoted to life in the Inner Sea. This chapter covers trade, weather and climate, languages, coinage, and technology.  Animals and plants are also covered in this chapter. One of the technological wonders it covers is the moveable type printing press. Since it makes printing spell books easier, its also instrumental in publishing books on a far range of topics.

After that, the book covers Factions in the Inner Sea on an entire chapter devoted to them.  Each major faction has two pages devoted to them. After that, the chapter on Adventuring is covered.  Here you find ways on how the classes are worked into the Inner Sea, from alchemists to magi to the wizard.  Then there is a section of Prestige Classes remunerated.  From the Harrower to the Hellknight, to the Red Mantis Assassin.  Then there is a section of new feats, along with new equipment and spells.  Finally there is magic items.

The book's final chapter is on monsters.  And there isn't a lot of them.  However, they are there as suggestions for use or conversion into your favorite roleplaying game systems.  Then there is an index and the Open Game License with it's lengthy Section 15.

Conclusion

At three hundred and eighteen pages, this is a hefty tome.  But one that should be considered if you are adventuring in the Inner Sea region with your favorite game system or Pathfinder.  Conversion from Pathfinder to GURPS should be easy.  Some monsters may need work to do, but beyond those the book can be used as is.  I suggest you purchase the digital version first before getting your hard copy, just to see if the Inner Sea is somewhere you'd like to adventure in.