Alessandro Rocchi
In this review we talk about Eldritchwood, a solo tabletop RPG of horror and medieval folklore in which we can play more than one character.
The game was created by Andrea Sfiligoi and Anna Pashchenko. The Italian edition is published by MS Edizioni, in collaboration with Ganesha Games. We thank MS Edizioni for the physical copy that allows us to offer you this review. We recommend that you follow them on their Facebook page, Instagram page and on the official website to discover many new projects.
If you are interested in buying, you can find Eldritchwood (only in Italian) in physical edition for 25 euros on the official store. With the discount code NoDiceUnrolled10 you will get 10% off your order.
Eldritchwood Structure and Art Review
Eldritchwood is a 108-page manual in flexible cover, bound using the milled paperback technique. The dimensions are small, in fact the size is only 22x22cm, and this allows it to be transported easily.
The manual is written really well, in a simple but well detailed way. In addition, a great support for reading is the very careful and precise use of bold and different colours. This way you can immediately notice the most important elements.
Artistically speaking, the manual is a jewel. Inside we find various illustrations, especially of the characters and creatures of the bestiary. But the real masterpiece is artistic design. In fact, the various chapters are differentiated both by the background of the page and by the frame on the edges. The colour palette and font also give that medieval, gothic and dark feeling that is perfectly associated with the setting and the type of game.
Eldritchwood Notabili (Notables)
The most interesting feature of the game is that we will not play a single character, but the various Notabili (Notables) who animate the village of Eldritchwood.
In fact, during the session we can decide to change the active Notabile (Notable); this will be done by choosing to meet one of the various acquaintances of our current Notable or through game events in which meeting another Notabile (Notable). So in these situations we will be given full freedom to change active character. In some cases we may be forced to make this choice, such as in the case of death.
This mechanic allows you to create a deep plot of linked stories, characters and actions that intertwine with each other. This happens because each Notabile (Notable) has their own list of Objectives, Traits, Contacts and Occupations that make them well-rounded characters who have their own lives, while the “camera” is focused on the protagonist of the session, that is our active Notable.
As we have anticipated, each Notable has their own list of Objectives to achieve, Traits and Equipment that they can use to their advantage and a series of Contacts useful to build the story. All these characters are heterogeneous and unbalanced, giving rise to a lot of really interesting situations that increase replayability and allow hours of fun.
In addition to the pre-made ones, the manual provides the option to build your own custom Notabile (Notable). Using a very fast and simple creation system, it allows you to better integrate it among others. In this case, its role will be that of a traveller who arrives in the village just as some supernatural events begin to occur.
The Game System
Eldritchwood has very simple and fast mechanics to solve uncertain situations.
Only d6s are used and, when our character attempts an action with an uncertain outcome, we will have to roll one. The goal is to make 4 or more, but the result will be modified by the difference between the value of our related Attribute and the Difficulty Value of the test. If positive, then we will add it to the roll of the die, otherwise it will be subtracted. Keep in mind that if you get 1 on the die, it will always be a Failure; on the contrary, a 6 will always be a Success.
In some cases, for favorable or unfavorable conditions, you will roll with Advantage or Disadvantage. The first situation, you roll two dice and keep the best, while in the second situation you keep the worst. In other situations we may be entitled to Rerolls and use the new result.
A very interesting mechanic is Fate Points. Using this currency, we can decide to automatically get a 6. But we have to be careful, because we only have 10 of them for the whole game.
Review of the Eldritchwood Action and Event System
The progression of the game and what happens to our PC is managed through a very intriguing system of Actions and Events.
Actions are activities that our character can undertake and will occupy them throughout the day. Thanks to them we can explore and learn more about the village and its surroundings, or investigate, or visit a friend to improve our relationships. Some Actions are considered illegal in the village, so we will have to be careful not to be discovered otherwise we will be trouble.
The Events are linked to the days and will proceed in a consequential manner. In fact, at the beginning of each day you will have to roll a d6 and if you get a 1, 2 or 3 an Event will happen. To determine what happens, you have to roll a d3 and add it to the number of the day you are in. So if we are in Event 2 (which corresponds to day 2) and we get a 3, we will have to go to Event 5.
One of our opponents will be time, because once we get to Event 100 the game will end and we would have lost. As a result, the higher the results of the d3 and the fewer days we will have available to solve the mystery. These events are varied and can change the days and the whole game. Possible events include: the arrival of an itinerant merchant, the mysterious Iron Virgin or much more.
Another very interesting element is that, as the days go by, we will also experience the festivities and important events of the village, such as mass or the village festival. This mechanic makes the life in the village even more alive.
The Main Enemies and the Dangers
As we will now see in this review, the Dangers and Main Enemies that we might encounter in Eldritchwood are varied and pertaining to European medieval folklore.
In fact, we could find werewolves, witches, bandits, undead, vampires, fairies and much more. All these minor opponents are called Dangers and we may face them during the game due to Events or our actions.
But the most interesting ones are the Main Enemies. These are really powerful opponents and the ultimate goal of the game is to find out which Main Enemy is attacking Eldritchwood and eliminate him. To do this, we will have to collect Clues and go skimming until we can find who among the 6 Main Enemies is the antagonist of the adventure. The interesting thing is that the Clues collected can be passed and exchanged between the Notables so as to build a network of actions and return the idea of a group moving towards a common goal.
The 6 Main Enemies included in the manual are all very interesting. Ones that impressed me the most are: La Regina Sussurrante (The Whispering Queen), a fairy monarch who wants to drive humans out of the forests, and Salmac Marchese dell’Inferno (Salmac Marquis of Hell), a demon who has a coven of Notables at his service, so you will have to beware of possible traitors.
Each Main Enemy also has a series of special skills and requirements to be defeated; this allows you to make the games exciting and have to prepare well before the final battle.
Eldritchwood Review Conclusion
In conclusion, I consider Eldritchwood an excellent solo roleplaying game, original and intriguing. The innovation given by the possibility of playing more than one character opens up a lot of roads and allows great replayability in addition to building very deep and intricate plots.
Moreover we find many characters and events that make every adventure different and above all exciting. The game system is therefore totally procedural and does not require pre-made adventures within the manual. In addition, the mechanics in general are quick and streamlined, allowing you to play without feeling overwhelmed by complicated rules. The icing on the cake is the artistic side, very evocative and that will make Eldritchwood even more immersive.
As a last thought of this review, I recommend Eldritchwood to all lovers of solo tabletop RPGs and folk-horror, who will find many interesting things in the dark streets of this village. So be ready, Notables: the Forces of Evil have arrived in Eldritchwood!
