Today we want to present you the review of Nightfell, the highly anticipated setting for D&D5e made in Italy. First of all we thank Mana Project for providing us with a very, very rich bundle.
If this review should make you want to buy Nightfell, we suggest you to visit the official Mana Project store. An anticipation: defining it “recommended” is not enough!
The bundle is definitely rich. It obviously starts with the Basic Manual, which presents the setting, the character customization options and the new original mechanics. The Bestiary collects a series of new monsters, themed with the setting and also inspired by Italian folklore.
The Book of Adventures is, as the name suggests, a collection of adventures, playable as a single campaign. Moreover The Death Eater can serve as a corollary. The bundle also includes the character sheets of 16 pre-generated characters and 10 digital maps. In order not to miss anything, we also have the original Nightfell soundtrack and a beautiful Nightmaster Screen! Another accessory is the official dice bag of the setting: two d20s and seven d8s with the moon phases. In addiction tThe last thing is the practical spell cards.
Review of the Manuals of Nightfell
Let’s be clear: the quality isn’t high. It is very high. The volumes are solid, the pages thick, the covers sturdy. The layout maintains the classic D&D5e, so these volumes are extremely practical to consult. But what is jaw-dropping is the quality of the illustrations.
Since the announcement of the Kickstarter, Nightfell has immediately shown to pay particular attention to the artistic sector. After all, Mana Project has accustomed us to very high standards, just think of Journey to Ragnarok or Historia. But with Nightfell Angelo Peluso, who is the artistic director of the project and part of the team of illustrators as well as author, made even better (as you can see in the immages included in this review). These volumes look good even in the most ambitious collections.
From the point of view of the realization, the only drawback of the Nightfell is the number of typos, rather abundant. Unfortunately, crowdfunding projects often have to deal with rather tight deadlines, this is undeniable. But considering the majesty of these volumes, I really had to point these oversights out.
The Core Handbook
“Thou wilt tip the balance, since on thy actions fate lies for what is left of us all.
Be steady in front of darkness, do not let thy heart cede, and may the moon lead thee through the silent lands of the continent.”
Our reviews are strictly spoiler-free, but we will try to give you a precise idea of what Nightfell offers. The game presents itself as “a fantasy horror setting, a grimdark world under the influence of the moon”. This is because on Iùrmen, the game world, there is no normal alternation of night and day. When the moon disappears from the sky it is not replaced by the sun, and where a fire is not lit the world plunges into absolute darkness. Darkness in which the Echoes of Death thrive and spread, a dark reflection of the Primes who created the world.
In the world of Nightfell , characters don’t go on adventures. The most cynical may seek to enrich themselves, the most perverse may seek new power in the Echoes of Death. But for the most part, the game will be about the line between survival and the relationship between darkness and life. The light of the moon gives respite, but the heat of the sun is no longer even a memory.
The Nightfell Review: A Complete Setting
In the Core Handbook the entire story of Irmen is presented. Parallel to that of Sidìr and Ènferun, the sidereal plane from which the world of mortals was cut off and from which the Abyss, on the contrary, invaded it. Between myth and actual history, it is possible to discover what took away the sunlight. And what that implies for the characters.
The geography of the game world outlines all the main regions and their main centers of interest. The manual does not go into too much detail, from this point of view. But there is no lack of more than enough ideas to make the most of each environment presented.
On the contrary, what we focus on most is the cultural aspect. In a world where darkness turns to night, religion becomes a fundamental element. Whether it is venerating the moon goddess or perpetrating ancient traditions, trusting in the now vanished Primordials or belonging to pagan cults. Not to mention far more sinister religions, cults of the dead and the veneration of the Echoes of Death.
Four human lineages…
The world of Nightfell is populated by bloodlines specially designed for this product, protagonist of this review. So the races are all strongly characterized to exploit the main themes of the game.
The Anireth, or First Men, are the involuntary responsible for the Last Sun, the event that led the Enferun to superimpose itself on Irmen. Although many of them are blameless, they bear the weight of these actions. And even if they are the progenitors of all other human lineages, the prejudice against them conditions their actions.
On the contrary, the Ejre, or Primievals, have an extremely strong bond with the energies of the earth. They belong to a Druidic culture which makes them the main bulwarks against darkness.
Even the Garnar, or Alperns, are not exactly champions of civilization. This barbaric population lives in the northern mountains, even colder since the sun was literally destroyed. Marked by an ancient curse, in the light of the moon they reveal a bestial nature.
The Gray Folk is perhaps the population that most seems the classic humans of D&D5e: among all the peoples descended from the Anireth, in fact, they are the most varied and versatile. The name of Gray People in fact comes from the mixture of colors of this people, which in fact makes it devoid of a specific color.
… And More Exotic Ones
The Ishdrim, the Overseas People, are the only humans on Nightfell not descended from the First Men. Closely related to Hollon, the deceased Primordial who was the sun of Irmen, they weave their elegant spells with a natural affinity for fire.
The Krampus are the only playable lineage originating from the Black Mirror. Wild and brutal creatures, they believe in violence and the pack. Which is strengthened by the internal struggle. Only a few of them dare to turn against this brutal culture, demonstrating unsuspected potential.
The Lyvar, called Night Faelings, are the descendants of a lineage that once belonged to the Little People. Mutated by the eternal night, they are little wary and elusive creatures. Not so inclined to relationships with outsiders, when they manage to open up, however, they demonstrate an out-of-the-ordinary loyalty.
Finally, the Rizadrin are the last descendants of the three lineages of satyrs who were once in contact with the lifeblood of Irmen. The Moon Satyrs are wise yet crepuscular creatures. They were the first ones guessing how the moon would become the fulcrum of living creatures after the last sun, it was they themselves who founded the Lunar Cult, Nightfell.
The Nightfell Review: A Wide Choice
Character customization options are really a lot. First of all, the manual presents 12 new backgrounds, essential to better integrate your character into the setting. Additionally, each class of the core manual has a new subclass to choose from, always deeply intertwined with the world of Nightfell.
Particularly interesting are the new original classes presented. The Lunar Cultist is a soldier who takes sides against the looming darkness; harnessing a mixture of martial skills and knowledge of the mysticism of the venerators of the Triple Goddess, she becomes a formidable ally, or adversary. The Master of Traditions , on the other hand, tries to shed light on the mystery, accumulating notions on any subject; legend, history or myth, there is no subject that she cannot bend to her own profit.
In a world haunted by spirits, the Medium becomes a channel of communication between them and Iùrmen. By allowing herself to be partially possessed by the soul of a deceased, or using it to torment his enemies, her disturbing figure fears few rivals. Finally, in a world deprived of sunlight, the Vampire. Haunted by the light of the Full Moon, he can progressively develop his dark powers in a class path, seeking redemption or, conversely, descent into damnation.
There are also a lot of new items, magical and not, as well as a whole series of new spells, full of the sense of horror and wonder that permeates the inhabitants of Iùrmen.
Review of the New Mechanics of Nightfell
One of the most interesting aspects of the Core Handbook is its original mechanics. Aimed at enhancing the setting and making the oppressive elements weigh even more present, they are a significant added value. These aren’t just gameplay options, they’re part of Nightfell.
Soul Points are certainly the most interesting of these new game mechanics. To represent the psychological and spiritual strength of the character, they can be compared to the sanity points of other games. Special attacks, shocking scenes, or particularly alien creatures can reduce your Soul Point pool; but indulging in abject behavior can also affect it. Once this reserve is consumed, the character is possessed by the Echoes of Death, and only a delicate ritual can hope to bring him back.
Grim weapons are another interesting feature of Nightfell that I want to show you in this review. The more a weapon strikes the creatures of Ènferun, in fact, the more it becomes imbued with their corruption, until it succumbs to it. A Grim Weapon becomes more effective against these creatures, but at the same time its thirst for blood ends up eroding the soul of the wielder.
Finally, the Moon could not fail to have a leading role. The lunar phase under which a character is born, in fact, plays a role similar to a zodiac sign. Not just an aesthetic characterization, but one that directly influences the characters through the results of the risky ritual of Lunar Divination. And don’t forget that the powers of many monsters are influenced by the Moon and its phases.
The Bestiary
A further strength of Nightfell is certainly its Bestiary. Not a simple “accessory”. While the 100 new creatures obviously have all that is needed to use them as dangerous enemies, their best part is their integration into the lore.
The horrors of Nightfell include dragons once dead and now animated by necromantic energies, or their less powerful but no less terrifying descendants. Undead of all shapes and forms, and shapeless horrors from the world of Enferun. Unique creatures or entire populations. Faeries corrupted by darkness and cultists who, instead, crave corruption. And finally the witches, true protagonists of Nightfell.
Each monster or opponent falls into a broader category, and in addition to the stats it has a deep introduction. It contextualizes the creature in the game world. It becomes an element of culture and setting, to the point that the Bestiary presents a whole series of rumors concerning the lore. Some are well founded, some are not. The goodness of the Nightmaster will decide which ones will be heard by the characters.
Review of the Adventures of Nightfell
The Book of Adventures is a collection of six adventures, which can be played separately. But, in my opinion, the best solution is dividing them into two distinct campaigns, which can be linked together. In this way, they allow you to take the characters from the first to the fourteenth level.
Written by different authors, they consequently also have different styles. Not that it’s a problem, in fact it allows you to try multiple styles of play. And to experience different aspects of the world of Nightfell within the same campaign, in a coherent story arc. Surely the most successful adventures are those that leave more room for interpretation and narration; they allow you to better savor the creeping horror that characterizes the game. But action is not lacking, and it is necessary.
The first three adventures of the manual are set in the ice of Alper, trying to face the threat of vampires who take advantage of a world devoid of sun. On the contrary, the other ones move instead in an urban environment, allowing them to explore a more distressing horror, which hunts the characters by violating their own sense of reality.
The Death Eater is a little extra treat, unlocked in the Kickstarter. It can be played at the conclusion of the two linked campaigns of the Book of Adventures, or independently. It will take the characters from the 14th to the 17th level, allowing them to face one of the greatest threats of Iùrmen, the Cult of the Serpent.
Accessories… and such Accessories!
One of most charming aspects of Nightfell is its accessories, as you can see in this review. Well-kept, of great value, they are collector’s items that do not look out of place in front of the magnificent manuals of this setting. Starting with the dice. We speak here of pure collecting. In fact, this is not the classic complete dice set for playing D&D5e. We simply have two d20s, because they are strongly symbolic, and the seven dice with the various phases of the moon; useful but not essential, to play the Lunar Divination. Or to randomly determine the moon phase, always important for the game. They are simply beautiful.
The pre-made character sheets are useful, as are the maps. And the soundtrack is a ten and praise bonus, perfect for making the atmosphere of the game; definitely something not found in every bundle. But the Nightmaster Screen is the real highlight. Robust, practical, it is simply amazing: in its simplicity, there is no better way to define it. Attention, it does not replace the Dungeon Master Screen for D&D5e: it only contains the original mechanics of Nightfell.
The Nightfell Review: Conclusions
At the end of this review, there is a lot to say about Nightfell, and there would be even more. But we need to sum up. And the result is certainly positive. This is an ambitious project. Having an original idea is not easy; making it a product suitable for the market is perhaps even more challenging. Nightfell succeeds, and does so by exceeding the very high expectations that Mana Project had set.
The short timing of the Kickstarter certainly created some problems. In addition to the typos mentioned above, in the Book of Adventures the coordination between the various authors was not perfect, creating an inconsistency between two plots. And between the description of vampires, the rules for playing them as characters and those for using them as monsters, it ends up creating a bit of confusion about how to handle penalties in the light of the full moon.
But these are really small things, in front of such a monumental work. And above all so successful. Nightfell is well written and interesting. Perhaps such a visceral fantasy horror setting may not be suitable for all palates; and certainly to play it by lightening these aspects would be a mortal sin. But if you’re not overly sensitive to these issues, Nightfell is the setting you want to try in your next campaign!