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This module
clocks in at a massive 69 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, slightly
more than 1 page ToC, 1 page SRD, leaving us with 66 pages of content, so let's
take a look!
But before
we do, I should not fail to mention that 9 pages of the module are devoted to
spell, bestiary and item references - this means that you don't need to do any
book-flipping when running this module. Kudos! Better yet, we actually get
fluff for the respective creatures, all written and provided for your
convenience. Similarly, in the tradition of 4 Dollar Dungeons, we receive an
art appendix, which contains all the art, ready to be printed out. a total of 4
maps as jpgs (including player-friendly versions for the two of them that can
use them!) are included, with one being a map of Asgard, based on Iceland.
The pdf
also provides work-sheets for riddles, which have been reproduced as individual
jpgs. as well.
So, this is
not a spoiler, but it should be noted that this pdf assumes the Asgardian gods
to exist; in fact, the assumption is that the tales we know from real world
mythology are in progress. For guys like yours truly, who are intimately
familiar with the mythology, the pdf provides a concise and easy to grasp
summary of what has happened and what hasn't. If that sounds like it'd be hard
to integrate into a given campaign, rest assured that it isn't - but to explain
that, I'll have to go into spoiler territory, so you'll see that in the next
paragraph. Before I go there, I should note that this pdf does contain a
detailed glossary, which can help GMs not familiar with the myths to keep tabs
on the names and places.
All right,
this is as far as I can go without SPOILERS. Potential players should jump to
the conclusion NOW.
...
..
.
All right,
still around? Great! So, "World's End" is an inn unlike any other.
For one, it is run by Odin...when he can be bothered. It also has a habit of
jumping from plane to plane. The PCs, caught in a blizzard, stumble upon
exactly this inn. Inside, a rowdy band of vikings can be found and promptly
invites the PCs to a drinking game - but unlike anyone you would consider to be
common. The PCs are peppered with poetic riddles pertaining the gods - and the
PC's answers to the moral conundrums each riddle poses are noted down on aforementioned
work-sheets. With a pounding head and 8 riddles answered, the PCs will find
themselves in most peculiar beds after awakening - it seems they have shrunk!
Well,
almost. You see, World's End adapts those it has taken on a planar ride to the
worlds it happens upon; however, beings from other worlds do not receive this
adaptation. And Asgard is literally larger than life - about thrice the size of
anything the PCs are familiar with. While the PCs will have a fight for their
lives with a spider, they'll soon hear that Asgard is thankfully pretty
peaceful now...Note that while knowledgeable players may assume the truth
regarding the nature of the deities, the module works perfectly well without
prior knowledge - though, admittedly, helping Freyr (who is having a hell of a
time with Gerðr!) get his inspiration back and maneuver the giant Gullinbursti
out of a field makes for an interesting start.
The PCs
literally are tiny, impotent motes in a land of living gods, but that does not
mean that they don't have plenty of adventuring to do! The PCs will have to
work for their upkeep - the tasks they perform will yield proper
compensation...but ultimately, if the PCs wish to return to the regular prime
material plane, they'll not only need escorts, they'll have to find Odin and
bother him enough so he actually brings them back! It seems like Odin is
interested in Freyja, so Séssrumnir, her domain, would be the first stop for
the PCs. Here's a problem, though: Her chariot is drawn by cats. Which are, in
relation to the PCs, Gargantuan. Cats are fickle and not too kind...so, in
order to pass them by, the PCs will have to catch mice for them. Which are,
actually, thrice their usual size. Various strategies are included for this
endeavor, allowing you to reward creative players.
Well, turns
out Freyja may not be too amused - not long ago, she has lost a golden ring she
received from bedding a traveling minstrel called Faðr Galdr...and a strange
vision of a golden fish the PCs had en route, may very well be the culprit of
the loss. She promises to help if the PCs can retrieve that ring (as she
suspects Odin's handiwork and will not demean herself to hunt that damn fish).
This would btw. be as good a place as any to note that this pdf's writing can
be HILARIOUS and as dead-pan as some of the sögur; When I read "Freyja is
not a happy bunny right now." I laughed out loud. If you enjoy absolutely
amazing, subdued humor, then this pdf will have you smiling time and again -
often also in the explanatory and entertaining footnotes. Thankfully for the
PCs, the fish will have croaked and beached by now, but unfortunately, the PCs
will still have to traverse a truly spooky landscape and contend with
draugr-rejects! (Hej, here even the rejects are deadly!)
The trail
leads from here to...Yggdrasil! Yep. However, the PCs thankfully will sooner or
later find a way to hitch a ride on giant eagles (for a proper delousing) and
here, the PCs can meet the norns, all of which present, often metaphysical and
interesting ways of proceeding on Yggdrasil: Walls of knowledge, teaching to
make individual, fair decisions as a group, etc. - the section here is at the
same time abstract and concrete, befitting of the norns. Oh, and the PCs can
eliminate some of Níðhöggr's worms as well...but sooner or later, the trail
leads to the annoying and abusive squirrel ratatoskr, who has a riddle for them
to answer - and promises actual help. You see, he has an idea regarding Odin
and so happens to have a favor owed from a giant deer, who could transport the PCs
to the next stop - Bilskírnir, legendary abode of none other than Thor...who is
currently not here. Obviously.
However,
Sif is and the radiant beauty allows the PCs to wait here, but asks for a
favor, namely the retrieval of a particular lichen she needs for her hair. (At
this point, Loki has stolen her golden hair - she is wearing a clever metallic
wig that is "beautiful to look at, but a bit of a pain to wash and she
breaks a comb about once a week." - told you this pdf was hilarious!!) Oh,
know what's even funnier? The cave is actually a lost boot of the giant Skrýmir
- a colossal being over 150 feet in size! Once the PCs have defeated the slurk
that has taken up residence, they'll almost be squashed by the giant...who
thankfully has sensitive toes. Unfortunately for the PCs, the giant is
currently en route to the wedding of Þrymr with...Freyja? Fans of Norse
mythology will know that this actually would be Thor in disguise...and they'll
be able to witness the comedic proceedings of the Þrymskvíða firsthand - and
rest assured, if you are not familiar with it and can't be bothered to look it
up, that the pdf does provide enough guidance in that regard to run the
proceedings! Before things escalate hilariously with a Thor in drag on a
killing spree of giants, the PCs will have to fight a giantess' housecat, ole'
Fáfnir, for the amusement of the assembled guests though.
Saved by
Loki from carnage that far outclasses their capabilities to deal with (i.e.
Thor getting his hands back on his hammer), the PCs are spirited away be the
amiable trickster god to the lava fields of Eldhraun (yep, I've actually been
there - several locations from myths and this adventure do exist in
Iceland!!)...and then, he'll take them to meet Baldr. Who is invulnerable, very
much alive...and Loki hates his guts. You see, from his point of view, Baldr is
a spoiled pretty boy who has achieved...nothing. He's just beloved for his
looks and annoys Loki to no end. Thus, the PCs will have to brave a cavern,
eliminate a crysmal and try their luck with these stones...obviously failing.
Whether or not Baldr turns out to be an utter prick or truly a deity of love
and light remains up to the GM, so if you're looking for a classic twist that
still makes sense in the context of mythology, well, there you go.
The second
task of the trickster god pertains a builder who is currently trying to build a
wall around Asgard. More precisely, his powerful steed Svaðilfari - which may
have the task actually succeed in time. (Bad news for the gods, who have
promised Freyja's hand...) Thus, Loki transforms the PCs into...horses! They'll
have to establish communication with the legendary steed and help him deal with
annoying elemental creatures - as a means of thinking them, he'll let them in
on a secret regarding his master...and the PCs may actually determine, from his
behavior, a weakness that Loki would come to exploit sooner rather than
later...but that is written in the myths!
Njörðr and
Skaði also can be found here, with tragedy and high octane skill-based
challenges included in the mix; and the sky may indeed shed a tear for her...
Even Andvari does feature in the adventure: The legendary dwarf is in the
underworld, though, so the PCs will have to survive a harrowing mini
cart-ride...and they'll have to solve a nice logic puzzle posed by intelligent
rats...
Once the
PCs have thus taken a massive trip through northern mythology, they'll be
contacted by Loki again - and they'll have to pass Bifröst...which is not an
easy task and a rather interesting combat set-up, as the beheaded skulls of
invaders rise from the bridge to attack...but ultimately, the goal here is to
unleash the valkyries in the House of the Horn...who will promptly come to save
the PCs, bring them to Valhalla...and then basically ignore them.
The PCs
will not find Odin. Instead, sooner or later, Frigg will appear and lead them
back, leaving them with a speech a s wise and memorable as you'd imagine. As
for the divine items - they are surprisingly down to earth, but ultimately, can
easily be made into artifacts, mythic items or the like, should that suit your
campaign requirements better - so no, the module will not end with over-qualified
PCs.
Conclusion:
Editing and
formatting are very good - although there are a few formal deviations and typos
here and there (one references "IReland" instead of
"Iceland"), the pdf generally is professionally presented. Layout
adheres to 4 Dollar Dungeons' printer-friendly two-column full-color standard
with a nice blend of original and stock artwork in both color and b/w. The pdf
comes in two versions - one optimized for the European A4-paper standard and
one for the US-letterpack paper size. Very cool! The jpgs are a nice bonus as
far as I'm concerned. the pdfs come fully bookmarked for your convenience.
I have
never read a module like World's End. This module is utterly epic and the most
high-concept low-level module I have ever read. At the same time, it is
grounded in an almost hilarious sense of mythological realism. Let me explain
that contradictio in adjecto: I love the Norse myths. A main reason for that
love lies in the deities being...well. ...humane in their faults and behaviors.
Unlike comparable pantheons of deities, they may behave like pricks, but
usually not towards the mortals. This grounds the whole mythology as far as I'm
concerned, makes it seem more plausible and relatable. It is into this context
that the PCs stumble and the module deliberately asks them, in the 8 riddles in
the beginning, to judge the faults of the deities and their behavior, to
present their moral perspective.
And indeed,
when the PCs then meet the deities, they may be taken aback, they may argue -
but the PCs are not penalized for their opinions. This module is epic, but the
conflicts the PCs face will be ones that are based on scale - they are thrust
literally in a world where humble vermin can pose a threat and thus, if your
PCs object to feeling small...then this module does its job. You see, the
module plays with physical and metaphysical size and power; the humble 1st
level PCs may not have actual, physical size and power, but they still help the
gods; they are, in a metaphysical sense, participating in, nay, writing
mythology. If you're familiar with Norse myths, this alone will make you grin
from ear to ear...and if not, then chances are you'll be intrigued after
completing this module.
Rereading
my review, the module does sound a bit like a tour-de-force of mythology, but
the matter of fact is that you can decelerate the proceedings however you want;
similarly, you can speed everything up. The transitions alone could each carry
a whole session worth of gaming, if you're inclined to work with them. The PCs
are stranded in a strange land and much like many a mouse-protagonist of
popular children's movies, they will be swept along to a degree; they will bear
witness and interact, make a difference. Weave the myth presented herein.
At the same
time, World's End is NOT, and let me emphasize that, "Norse myths - the
module"; quite the contrary. It does not focus on the often quoted
legendary beasts, on wartime, epic battles or the like - and shines a spotlight
on the very human, almost always neglected aspects of the mythology. And it
does so in a hilarious manner. I haven't laughed so hard while reading a module
in ages. The themes and topics highlighted here, while founded in mythology, by
means of their contextualization take on the shape of a comedy of manners with
a delightfully dry and deadpan humor. This is, in short, the funniest module I
have read in a while, with some of the jokes reserved for the GM, yes...but
several situations in which the PCs will find themselves are very comical as
well. It should also be mentioned that the respective vignettes can, for the
most part, be recombined as the GM sees fit - they can easily be expanded
upon...or even be cut.
Now there
is one potential fact that can be problematic - and that would be to make the PCs
accept that they're outclassed big time. Granted, at level 1 not too hard, but
there are some personalities that can't cope with that....but then again, these
folks may benefit the most from playing this module. You see, the leitmotif of
"comedy of manners" also includes a certain humbling; everyone in
this module is treated as a fallible being. The deities and PCs alike are
subjected to circumstances that undermine self-importance and bloated egos -
not in a mean-spirited way, mind you, but in one that invites players and GMs
alike to take a step back and smile for once.
This is at
the same time one of Richard Develyn's easiest and hardest modules to
recommend. This module exists in the sharp contrast between the epic and the
mundane and it makes this field of tension work perfectly; similarly, the lines
of the comedic in the module receive a tinge of tragedy when read in the
context of the whole mythology. I would not recommend this module to groups
that have no sense of humor. But then again, perhaps those groups might be
cured of that. I don't know. World's End is easy to recommend for its stints in
the epic and fantastic, for its refreshing take on a mythology usually coded as
violent and grim; at the same time, it can be recommended for how it manages to
convey the "You are 1st level characters. The world is big and
scary."-trope...without resorting to making the PCs literally meaningless
in the context. They are, after all, mortals in a larger than life world of
gods!
You can
emphasize this, by expanding the day to day life between quests; you can
de-emphasize it and make everything feel more like a dreamy, hazy journey that
may or may not be taking place as written. World's End is very elusive in its
tone and it is nigh impossible to adequately describe how it works.
The best I
could come up with would be: A divine comedy of manners, wherein the PCs get to
write and participate in myths, with "An American Tail"-like scenes
and the ultimate goal of contextualizing judgments of people and putting deities
in context." (Yes, Dante-reference intended - after all, the PCs, for most
of the journey, do have guides!)
Fans and
scholars of Norse mythology should consider this to be an absolute must-have
offering., but that goes without saying.
This does
require an experienced GM who can make the mythology shine, yes. And yes, I can
see some players not coping too well with the requirements of this module. But
at the same time, I am overanalyzing this big time. For most groups that play
this, this will probably end up being a downright hilarious experience that
will provide more scenes for the gaming annals than pretty much any other
module I know. "Remember that time, when we witnessed Thor's
"wedding"? *snicker*"
In short,
this module is no joke; it is NOT easy. But it is delightfully funny and one of
the very modules that manages to be funny without being ridiculous. It makes
sense...and is epic at the same time. And, as always, it's ridiculously
inexpensive. I mean it. For 4 bucks, you get a TON of truly creative adventure
and scenes that you and your group will never, ever forget.
Well-researched,
with a palpable love for the source material and a strong, distinct authorial
voice, this module delivers in all the right ways and presents a type of
experience I have never had before. That alone should justify getting this gem.
My final verdict will clock in at 5 stars + seal of approval and, no surprise
there, as a total fanboy of humorous RPG-supplements and modules as well as
Norse mythology, this also receives a nomination for my Top Ten of 2016.
You can get this utterly UNIQUE module here on OBS!
Endzeitgeist
out.
