Before I begin, thanks to authors Jessy Ribordy and Gabriel Davis and the Hit Point Press team for sending me a copy of Lore of Aetherra – The Lost Druid and giving me the opportunity to write a review.
What we have before us is an adventure for D&D5e in the science-fantasy genre that accompanies the characters from the first to the fifth level, presenting itself as the first chapter of a larger series. Lore of Aetherra will present a total of 4 volumes, allowing for character development up to level 20, proving to be a rich and long-lasting setting. This manual consists of more than 260 pages, accompanied by various digital materials that can be exploited on the Alchemy RPG platform.
The Lost Druid was launched on Kickstarter in 2021, where it earned around $60,000 compared to the $12,000 requested, proving to be quite successful from launch.
The Lost Druid can be purchased on the Hit Point Press website at a cost of 59.99 euros for the paper version and 29.99 for the PDF file.
Aetherra and a Kingdom in Trouble
A city on the brink of collapse, a war looming, the government turning against its own citizens, a plague and a missing man. These are the key concepts around which the Lore of Aetherra – The Lost Druid adventure revolves and branches out. Accordingly, the city of Fano has certainly seen better days and now needs saving. What used to be a splendid city is now a dangerous place in whose streets the need for a revolution is beginning to feel.
Concurrently moves Fawn Lee, a young man in search of the truth about his father, a druid who has been missing for a thousand years. By now the city is in conditions such that finding it remains the only hope of restoring Fano to its former glory. Thanks to the search for this individual, the party finds itself involved in an epic journey that will draw players into its cinematic flow. There are various scenarios present, each with its own difficulties, mysteries and characters, in a living and troubled world that awaits heroes to be saved.
A Look at the World of Lore of Aetherra – The Lost Druid
Lore of Aetherra – The Lost Druid is such a broad and rich setting that it necessarily deserves to spend a few words to present it. The city of Fano, as well as every other place presented here, is accurately described, creating a lively and immersive background. A dynamic reality, in which the characters move by influencing the world with their actions and decisions. Reading the pages of the manual and playing his adventures, you will feel like you are walking through those streets, crossing those waters or finding yourself in front of those ravenous creatures.
In aid of immersion there is no shortage of maps, side quests, new monsters and NPCs. The Lost Druid doesn’t stop there though, also offering expanded character creation with new backgrounds, spells and magical items; there’s no shortage of tavern mini-games either!
Given the excellent premises of this first chapter, it is natural to expect further expansions in subsequent manuals, expanding this little new universe even more.
The Narrative Structure and its Supplements
Lore of Aetherra – The Lost Druid is an adventure divided into scenes, structured to revolve around a specific place and in such a way as to constitute a strongly cinematic narrative. Each scene always has the same structure to maintain internal narrative coherence and make them easier to manage.
There are also sections dedicated to the declaration of intent, the themes and the use of the pronouns of the various characters.
There are also numerous handouts for the master, ready to read, thus simplifying the preparation of the session and offering a direct look inside the story.
From this point of view, the adventure leaves nothing to chance, focusing on total immersion on the part of the players. In aid of this aspect come the various QR codes scattered throughout the manual which, once scanned, present numerous digital materials ready to be integrated. This is exactly where the gaming platform Alchemy comes in handy by integrating its sounds, recorded voices and animating the world of Aetherra on screen.
Characters and Aesthetics of The Lost Druid
The characters in this module are alive, carefully described both from an aesthetic and a character point of view. They are not simply filler images that move on the edge of the action, they are really part of it, with their strengths and weaknesses and their choices. One could say that if the world of Aetherra is so alive, it is also due to those who inhabit it; they never present themselves as simple anonymous extras, but as strong and distinct personalities.
As far as the aesthetic aspect of the manual is concerned, it is important to focus on the two words that make up the genre: science-fantasy. The pages are dominated by white, beige and gold, with clear separations on the shades of blue and blue. There are numerous illustrations that enrich the volume and demonstrate how the same attention has been paid to the stylistic part as to the narrative one.
Lore of Aetherra – The Lost Druid Review Conclusions
Overall Lore of Aetherra – The Lost Druid presents itself as an adventure with a strongly cinematic and narrative character. The variety of environments and the diversity and depth of the characters who inhabit them give life to an intensely paced and particularly immersive adventure.
Generally i recommend this adventure to all those who want to launch into an intense world and love attention to detail. Now it’s up to you to go and discover it!
