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In this review we are going to talk about Shadows of Esteren, a dark fantasy role-playing game that takes its inspiration from the gothic and horror imagery; to be precise, here we will analyze the first book of the saga, called Universe, which contains the basic setting and game system.

Shadows of Esteren is published in English and French by Studio Agate, which we thank for sending us a copy to review; we recommend you follow them on Facebook , on their website, and on the official website of Shadows of Esteren.

If you want to buy it, you can find it on Drivethrurpg at the cost of $25; Dark Romanticsm, the artbook, is available on Drivethrurpg for free.

Review of the Structure of Shadows of Esteren

The manual can be divided into two large sections: the first contains the setting of the game and many ideas for the GM; the second one is dedicated to the game system and the characters creation.

Keep in mind that the differences between these two sections are very evident. The first one is structured in such a way that each chapter has a different narrator and is told in a unique way; some chapters are written as if the reader is a child sitting by the fire with an elderly woman who tells popular stories; others are letters from a son to his distant father. In addition, the chapters include letters, reports, and parts of essays that add further compelling details as text boxes.

This section is written in a very special way. However I must admit that it is messy and makes it difficult to find information quickly. Undoubtedly, it is an interesting choice to expose and describe a setting, but in my opinion it is very risky and improvable from various points of view.

The section that comprehends the system is instead written in a classic and functional way. It is clear and easy to understand and, in a nutshell, does its job. The illustrations that accompany both sections are really well made and evocative; they manage to bring out that sense of dark and gothic medieval fantasy that is often sought in a similar product.

Tri-Kazel: a World Between Gothic and Horrifying

The setting of Shadows of Esteren is Tri-Kazel, a peninsula that takes full advantage of medieval Europe, adding a dark fantasy touch given by the presence of supernatural horrors and typical elements of the genre.

As mentioned above, this section is written in a particular way in order to immerse the reader more deeply into the game world; despite my previous criticisms, I must admit that they have succeeded very well! Reading these pages, you dive into a mediaeval, brutal, and dirty world in which you are forced to fight with your nails and teeth to survive.

Thanks to a very high level of detail, the types of stories that can arise are countless; you can tell the adventures of scholars who explore ancient ruins, of a group of brave people who try to foil a political conspiracy or much more. In short, the setting has options for all tastes.

A slight flaw is the lack of a real integrated bestiary; there are chapters on fauna and enemies present in Tri-Kazel, but a bestiary would have facilitated the conduct of the game for a less experienced GM. However, the actual bestiary can be found in Book 2: Travels, which you can find here.

Shadows of Esteren System Review

The Shadows of Esteren game system is very simple in its foundations, favouring easy learning.

When a character wants to take a complex action in which the risk of failure is contemplated, she must roll a ten-sided die, add its value in the Domain or the Discipline suitable for the test and the corresponding Way; the result must then be compared with a Difficulty Threshold decided by the DM; if the total is equal to or greater than it, the test is passed.

But what do these characteristics represent? Let’s find out!

Domains are generic skills of the character, such as Close Combat, Entertainment and Manufacturing; these can have a score ranging from 0 to 5.

Disciple skills affect a single field in which the PG can specialise, such as Blind Combat, Cooking, Distilling and many others; their scores range from 6 to 15.

The Ways are the main mental traits that enclose the personality of a protagonist; they are the Way of Combativeness, the Way of Creativity, the Way of Empathy, the Way of Conviction and the Way of Reason. The ways have a value ranging from 1 to 5; the higher the score, the more the way will influence how the character thinks and behaves. Of course, the ways have flaws; for example, a character with a high Way of Combativeness will be irritable and will frequently use violence to solve problems.

The combat is very simple and brutal. With a few blows, you can also be mortally wounded, since each hit also corresponds to maluses that weaken the characters.

The Heroes of Tri-Kazel

The characteristics highlighted so far constitute the basis of a character, but they are not enough; when we create a hero, we must also decide her past, her profession and her strengths and weaknesses. But how is this to be done?

Let’s start by saying that the manual provides six ready-to-use and customizable archetypes, perfect for preparing one-shot or inspiring players without many ideas.

If we want to create a totally original character, we have to start by choosing the origin, the status in which the character was born, and the profession that will allow us to access specific Domains and Disciplines; then we will go to arrange an array of points in the Ways, highlighting the ones that are more and less impactful for the character. After completing these first two steps, we must choose her age. The older she is, the more benefits she will receive, but she will also have to deal with Setbacks, something that haunts her from the past.

Then we can choose the strengths and weaknesses based on our Ways scores and calculate the derived values of Health, Defense and more. Finally, we will have a pool of points to spend to improve the Domains or Disciplines, or acquire advantages that will give us bonuses during the game.

It follows, therefore, that the creation of the character is long and requires some calculations. Surely, a session 0 in which to create the protagonists of the story is also ideal to give coherence to the group, given the numerous possibilities offered.

Magic, Miracles and Sanity

As we have already said, the setting is dark fantasy and as such includes magic and miracles; but it is also a horror game, so we must also take into account sanity.

The spells have a strong Celtic inspiration, and they work through the use of points that can generate various effects. The problem is that this pool must be managed through one or more tables, making everything complicated.

Sanity, on the other hand, is what I liked the most and represents an individual’s resistance to the horrors that lie ahead. The system is simple to understand and apply. Every time you meet something that could upset your character you make a test; in case of success the character resists, in case of failure it acquires a number of Trauma points decided by the narrator. Each time you get a certain number of Trauma points, you acquire a mental disorder that represents the consequences of the event on the psyche. Once you reach 20 Trauma points, the character is hopelessly lost.

Dark Romanticism

I also want to talk about Dark Romanticism, the art book dedicated to the universe of Shadows of Esteren. The product is made with great care, the illustrations are beautiful and some are completely original. In addition, there is also additional information about the game world; this is not not the central element, but it is certainly a pleasure.

For fans of this narrative universe, I absolutely recommend the artbook.

Conclusion of the Shadows of Esteren Review

To conclude this review, I can say that Shadows of Esteren is a product with lights and shadows; fortunately the former prevail.

The well-expanded and detailed setting and the simple and immediate game system are to be praised. But the organization of the information and some parts of the manual could be presented more clearly; some points may appear obscure or generic, but if you want to appease your curiosity we invite you to discover the whole series of manuals.

If you liked this review of Shadows of Esteren keep following us to discover more tabletop RPGs!

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