Today we are pleased to present you the review of The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock. First of all we want to thank Apotheosis Studio and Jamison Stone, CEO and creative director, for sending us a copy. This is a campaign for D&D5e (with a unique setting), signed by Rick Heinz and with the artistic supervision of David Granjo. You can buy it on the official Apotheosis Studio store at a price of $ 59.95, about € 53; the digital version costs $ 29.95, about € 26.
We expected great things already from the preview we gave you some time ago. If The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock will make you fall in love too, you can also consider purchasing the special box set edition. In addition there are also many accessories, including a miniature set and a pack of coffee produced by a cooperative that fights gender disparities in Indonesia. Who Said RPG Won’t Save the World?
Review of Handbook of The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock
Let’s start with an assumption: this manual is monumental. 320 dense pages of content, with simply perfect graphics and layout. The volume reminds of a forbidden tome, perfectly in tune with the story it proposes, but without straining the eyes. It is so rich that it is almost difficult to handle; anyway the reading is smooth and the tone of writing enhances the atmosphere.
The only drawback (if we really do our best to find one) are some illustrations. Of a very high standard, but made with a “computer graphics” style that clashes a little with the rest of the volume. As proof of this, non-full-page illustrations (with sketch style), are much more effective. They are better integrated into the volume, even if less effective if taken individually.
But what makes truly unique The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock is obviously the content. It is something between a very large adventure and a short campaign (or an important segment of a larger campaign). It is also possible to derive an entire setting that, with a little work, could be used for other campaigns or be integrated into larger settings.
What Are We Talking About?
Most of all, the story proposed by The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock is intense, animated by great passions. Designed for medium to high level characters, it can be adapted to groups of any tier. Don’t expect extremely detailed guides and conversions with every chapter though: this campaign has a strongly narrative structure. In order to weaken an opponent, it could be already wounded or, behind her screen, the DM will make sure that the attacks miss more often than they should; however, its stat block will not need to be modified.
The important thing is that the plot proceeds smoothly. Of course, we are talking about a campaign that offers ten chapters, each divided into three acts; and a “side quest” at the end of each chapter. The content is huge and running it will require a lot of work; several times during the game the characters have the opportunity to make choices that will affect their future. But the satisfaction will be great. As anticipated, The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock wants to offer an interpretive game, and the decisions on the characters passion have a great impact.
Of course, there are also ways to add spice to the narration. Combats are rich, and above all they always have a dramatic function. The diplomacy and the intrigue have a central role, but also the exploration has its importance. This is a urban campaign, but what discoveries and unexpected events can the alleys reserve?
Review of the Setting of The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock
Without your divinity, what separates
you creatures from animals?”
These are the first words of The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock. The narrative premise is intriguing. In the Shadelands the boundaries between worlds are particularly blurred. This makes the influence of the Patrons much stronger and, consequently, their relationship with the Warlocks is enhanced too. In a world dominated by the power granted by the gods and the potential of the arcane magic, the Warlock built an “happy little kingdom”. Where the boundaries between the planes blur, supernatural oddities abound.
The manual describes the double city of Yon-Cath, a partial merger of the cities born on the two banks of the river Obsidian Rush. After an initial overview, location, guilds, factions and important NPCs are presented as the story widens and involves them. Only one exception: the four key NPCs that will give life to the plot with their motivations and passions. Dorian, the Accursed King, the one who made the Shadelands what they are today. Fayte, the Shield Maiden, the soul of the double city, its favorite daughter. LaCroix, the Knight Captain, ready to take charge of the will of the people. And the mysterious figure of Majin.
As always, our reviews are spoiler-free. We will not take away the pleasure of personally discovering how the story of The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock develops. But we can anticipate that you will find tormented stories, flaming souls and the biggest ever possibility to get the benefit of patrons.
Tools and Resources
In terms of mechanics, The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock offers interesting ideas. Among the character options there are two new background, for PCs native of the Shadelands and Yon-Cath, and five new subclasses for the Warlock. There are also two new boons, new invocations and three patrons for this class. For all characters, two new playable races are available.
The Glau’bjurn belong to an elven lineage closely related to the nature of the Shadelands and to the Elemental Dance, the energies of the patron which flow in the region. They develop skills, somatic and character traits in tune with the season of the year in which they were born. The Kaldenking, on the other hand, are humanoids with the appearance of bears, open-minded and accustomed to pursuing community goals. They also live in the Shadelands and have developed an extremely cosmopolitan culture.
As the plot unfolds, other tools are added, mostly at the DM’s disposal. Mostly these are creature or NPC stats. Nevertheless, there are magic items, often quite powerful: remember that The Red Opera: the Last Days of the Warlock is thought for high level characters. You can also find funny various games of chance rules and the “home letter”, an option that gives a second chance to people at death’s door.
A Unique Game
In addition to the mechanical and the narrative elements, this campaign for D&D5e presents other significant elements that are definitely worth a mention. To begin with, there is the importance of the music. The inspiration from the DiAmorte’s metal album, The Red Opera, is clear in the title and in the whole work. Each act is contains a QR Code that will take to the song of the orchestral version of the album that is most suited to be used as a soundtrack for that specific moment.
The importance given to the Warlocks also deserves particular attention. Their power is borrowed and they are susceptible to the whims of their patrons, offering an approach very different from the “simple” divine and arcane spellcasters. Yet at the same time they are intertwined in a direct relationship with otherworldly entities, not divine but too far beyond the mortal sphere. A unique depth study of in-its kind. Sometimes I thought about what this adventure would have been like with a different system from D&D5e, which, despite its versatility, is not ideal for a campaign so focused on the narration. A flaw anything but significant, whereas the focus of The Red Opera: the Last Days of the Warlock is just a class of D&D5e.
This campaign pays particular attention to inclusiveness. Not binary characters not binary (or simply characters beyond such distinctions) have an important role, even if the plot does not touch their sexuality or identity.
Conclusions of the Review of The Red Opera: Last Days of the Warlock
The best way to define a work like The Red Opera: the Last Days of the Warlock is “inspired”. The campaign has key themes that are always clear; it sets goals and proposes them consistently. This main feature will define the entire style of play while leaving a huge freedom of interpretation. Therefore this campaign requires initiative and might not entertain passive players.
It is certainly not easy to run for the dungeon master. The work is not only vast but also very complex, and the DM will have a lot of work to do while preparing the sessions. The choices of the characters are many, never predictable and will always have consequences, even if those that can really twist the events are at the end of the campaign. Every now and then the game offers scenarios with less choices in order to keep the narrative fluid. This is inevitable to keep a track in the long run.
The Red Opera: the Last Days of the Warlock offers a deep game, which is different from most lighter campaigns and settings. If you love interpretation and storytelling more than a playful approach, and if you appreciate the campaigns that leave more space to diplomacy and investigation than to the combats, this is the game for you; I highly recommended it for its qualities.