Alessandro Rocchi
In this review we talk about Nephews in Peril, an expansion for Brindlewood Bay (that we have already reviewed here) in which we find new Mysteries, insights for the Keeper and much more.
This expansion was created by Jason Cordova and is translated and distributed in Italy by La Compagnia delle 12 Gemme. We thank the Italian publisher for providing us with a copy to write this review, so we will refer to the Italian version of the product. We invite you to follow them on their Facebook page, Instagram page and their official website to discover their new projects.
If you are interested, you can buy the volume in physical version (with PDF included) for 34.95 euros on the official store. Otherwise you can opt for the digital version for 15$, also on DrivethruRPG Store.
Review of the Structure and Art of Nephews in Peril
Like the basic manual, Nephews in Peril comes with an elegant 200-page hardcover volume in A5 format with thread-ref binding. The quality is always excellent, being compact and lightweight but resistant, so as to allow easy transport. In the volume we find 20 new Mysteries (of which 7 are special), a chapter that delves into the town of Brindlewood Bay and ideas for the Keeper (the narrator in Brindlewood Bay) to manage a campaign.
Here too we find a simple, effective and very pleasant writing, which favours an engaging reading. Thanks to the careful use of bold, italics and different colours, it is possible to navigate the text very quickly.
Artistically, the expansion follows the style of the basic manual and enriches it with new illustrations. They are not so many, but they have a consistent style and are really intriguing. They are also placed in the right places in the manual and make reading even more enjoyable.
Together with Nephews in Peril we were given the relevant Play Materials. These are an add-on that collects the new mysteries and summarizes them, so you have the basics at your fingertips. A really useful addition to lighten the work of the Keeper in the sessions.
The New Mysteries
Within Nephews in Peril we find as many as 13 new Mysteries including: Presentation, Suspects (the NPCs involved), Places and Clues.
Each mystery is presented in a very intriguing way. In addition, thanks to their great variety, it is impossible not to find the right one for your gaming group. We can find longer and more complex Mysteries, or shorter and more immediate ones, but all require at most one session to complete.
Another interesting detail is the possibility of connecting all the Mysteries in a campaign, or of integrating them organically in an ongoing one. In fact, for each one we find many suggestions so as to add details about the Dark Conspiracy. In addition, each Mystery immerses us more and more in the town of Brindlewood Bay, allowing us to discover new details.
Among the most interesting are A Night at the (Whailing) Museum and Fall Guys. The first one narrates how, during an evening of fundraising at the museum, a strange murder occurs and the Mavens will have to investigate. It is very classic, but it allows you to discover new aspects of the city and bring interesting elements to the table. Instead, the second Mystery is set in a high school during a wrestling show. The place is quite unique for the Mavens, but the adventure allows you to create good reasons to motivate the presence of the PCs in that place and create various narrative hooks.
Sweeps Week Mysteries
Within the volume we find 7 Mysteries defined “Sweeps Week” that bring slight differences in the game mechanics. This consists in the fact that they are suitable for one-shots or spin-off sessions, detached from the main campaign.
In practice, each Mystery has a new Crown that replaces that of the Void present in the basic manual. These Crowns have several questions for the Mavens to answer and focus on new themes such as death and childhood memories. Each theme is deeply connected to the Mystery and therefore cannot be used in other areas.
Another fundamental change is that of the Conjecture move. In the base game this would be used to identify the culprit, but in many Sweeps Week Mysteries we don’t have a culprit. Rather, there are a number of questions to answer. Therefore, instead of Conjecturing, we find Answering the Questions with which the Mavens can formulate the answer to a question among those included in the Mystery. As with the basic move, you will first need to have collected enough clues to match the complexity of the demand.
Among the most interesting traces we can find Mex Files, a mystery in which the Mavens become entangled in a supernatural plot while on their way to a convention. Otherwise very interesting we also have Drifting Down Scream in which, after the discovery of a wooden throne, tourists mysteriously disappear.
The Town of Brindlewood Bay
In this last chapter we find an overview of the town of Brindlewood Bay.
We find all the most interesting places and for each of them we find two NPCs ready to use. I appreciated that the places are divided into groups. For example, we can find the Seaside (which contains all the places overlooking the sea) or the Commercial District (where the shops are located). This helps when you need to search for a specific place or navigate between points of interest.
A really interesting place is the pub “Al Bancone di Sabbia”, where residents can enjoy a good pint of beer with a sea view. Otherwise we find the Nerdcore, a place to do nerdy shopping such as board games, roleplaying games or much more. A really interesting detail is that each place has a question to ask the Mavens to immerse themselves even more in the town.
I would like to point out that in the Game Materials there is also a map for players to see. A detail to be appreciated.
Conclusion of the Review of Nephews in Peril
In conclusion, we can say that Nephews in Peril is an excellent expansion, rich in new material and intriguing details. The 13 Mysteries are exciting and allow you to experience intricate plots that will easily involve the game group. Added to all this are the 7 Sweeps Week Mysteries that bring new dynamics to the game group and allow you to live more particular and supernatural stories, involving themes more alien to the base game.
Moreover we find an excellent graphic and artistic care, which makes this work a collector’s item while maintaining the level of the core rulebook.
So I recommend Nephews in Peril to all those who have enjoyed the basic manual, because they will find a very useful expansion in their hands!
