Francesca Viganò
Before turning to the actual review of the Dragonbane supplement, Path of Glory, I would like to thank the Swedish publisher Free League Publishing for sending us a physical copy of the volume.
If you decide to buy it, you will find it on the publisher’s store for 38.36 euros with the classic cover and 67.26 euros if you want the deluxe cover version. Also available for this campaign is the Foundry Virtual Tabletop module for 19.09 euros.
Volume Overview
Path of Glory is a paperback volume of approximately 190 pages. The hardcover is available in two variants: in colour or gold embossing, and it features a beautiful illustration by Johan Egerkrans.
As always for the Swedish publisher’s products, the content is well structured. It is presented through a precise and extremely functional table of contents. Let us, however, look at what exactly this volume of adventures for Dragonbane contains.
There are three, strongly interconnected, macro plots in the manual. That gives the chance of running them as a campaign, the second for this RPG if we consider the one contained in the starter set: The Secret of the Dragon Emperor, which we have already dealt with.
The structure of the adventures is linked to the exploration of locations, in full old-school style. Considering that each location can be explored and can be treated as an adventure in its own right, Path of Glory contains 10 adventures plus a larger dungeon.
But let us look together at what the three macro-plots are and what they are about without, as is our custom, making too many spoilers:
- The Dead Forest: is the first macro adventure in the volume allows the characters to travel through the Dead Forest in search of wealth, glory and the three keys that the legend indicates can open the Gates of Power.
- Gates of Power: the plot leads the characters to discover the underground kingdom of the dwarves, abandoned for many centuries where a band of orcs and undead in the service of the necromancer Dakoth now hide.
- Heart of Darkness: the characters have a clear task, to find the heart of the demon Sathmog and bring it back to the Temple of the Winds to free the Dead Forest and the world from a terrible curse.
Building the Setting
Path of Glory is a 1985 campaign for the original Swedish version. It is set in the northern region, in the area of the great mountain Edge of Heaven. To the west of the mountains lies the legendary Dead Forest. On the other side, the plains of the Eastern Lands overlook the Fang-Forren Forest, Lake Is-Anor and the Sea of Dreams.
With this manual, the setting presented in the Starter Set is thus expanded with new territories to explore and new opponents to face. Those who already had the core manual or the Starter Set perceived a gap in the presentation of the game world, will find reassurance here. It seems clear that the editorial line wants to follow the game structure based on exploring dungeons and new territories. Gradually revealing the world around them to players is very fascinating.
The setting is expanded in this volume. The characters have to deal with a different region compared to the Misty Valley of the campaign The Secret of the Dragon Emperor. Although the two storylines are not necessarily consequential, the difficulty level of the encounters in Path of Glory is designed for characters who have completed that campaign or have acquired an equivalent level of experience.
Within the volume, we also find insights into two new schools of magic: Demonology and Necromancy.
A Well-Designed Campaign
The game campaign is identifiable as sword & sorcery. It has an increasing level of difficulty, with the risk that some characters may not be able to enjoy the end of the plot.
Despite the fact that all three explorable regions are designed to handle adventure, the vastity of the map is such that many other places could serve as backdrops for side quests and contain treasures and dangers. Perfect examples of this are the Ancient Mounds and the Deepmire Swamp. In addition to the usual green boxes for in-depth information, the manual also offers a table of possible chance encounters that might also be useful in other adventures.
In general, Path of Glory proceeds in a crescendo, adding information and awareness to characters who venture at the beginning into the Dead Forest searching treasures and glory. The adventurers will quickly find themselves embroiled in an epic conflict dating back to the birth of the world. Their quest will lead them from the depths of the forest, under the mountain and into a strange new land where the fate of the world will be fulfilled.
Eye-Catching Content
Path of Glory maintains the canonical design of the editorial line and focuses on what is useful to play, rather than on pure aesthetics. In this, all the elements necessary for the narrative that are placed at the disposal of the Game Master and the players are of great importance.
I particularly appreciated the incentive, throughout the text, for the GM to show the NPC portraits to the players. When related to the plot, the picture is located elsewhere in the manual, the page is also indicated so that it can be found quickly.
A not insignificant element is the presence of the map of the territory involved in the plot, printed on the front and back. One side presents the Dead Forest, the other the Eastern Lands. The format is decidedly large. We are talking about a foldable map that, once spread out, reaches dimensions of 43×56 cm.
If necessary, the maps can be downloaded directly from the publisher’s website in the appropriate section. Here we also find the pre-generated character sheets and blank sheets ready to be filled in.
Path of Glory Aesthetics Review
I will never tire of saying that Free League Publishing has high standards when you talk about quality. Even when it comes to ‘minor’ supplements, the editorial line does not lose elegance and preciousness.
Path of Glory fits perfectly into this discourse and follows the layout and aesthetics already seen in Bestiary. The game has beautiful illustrations by Johan Egerkrans, a historical collaborator of the Swedish publishing house whose excellent hand we have already had the opportunity to appreciate in Vaesen’s editorial line. Here you’ll not find many full-page illustrations, but rather a splendid overview of the NPCs throughout the plot. David Brasgalla also participates in the artistic compartment, which adds a mystical touch to the game’s layout.
Dotting the pages are the maps drawn by Francesca Baerald and Niklas Brandt. They are an essential element, bearing in mind that this is an adventure manual for a game with strong old-school overtones.
The solid print simulating antique pages does not affect the reading and makes each sheet a graphic product of obvious value. It is also not excessive, allowing for easy reading.
Path of Glory Review Conclusion
In conclusion, Path of Glory is an excellent module. It is meant to be a sequel to The Secret of the Dragon Emperor, at least in terms of the minimum level required for characters. The plot is not very original and follows in structure and style we have already seen in the Starter Set. But it should not be forgotten that we are talking about a game with a strong old-school feel, which makes exploration and a high level of risk its foundations.
However, if you like well-structured storylines, exploring dungeons and watching the setting grow as the game progresses, then Path of Glory is a must-have supplement in your Dragonbane collection.
