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D20 Modern: Last Rites of the Black Guard

Last Rites of the Black Guard

This scenario is an excellent ghost-hunt set in small-town Texas. It's intended for beginning characters, preferably those with an interest in the occult.

The first part, GM Preparation, explains the background to the adventure and what is behind all the ghostly events that are to be discovered here. Poltergeist effects in the main, but some of the pranks are quite deadly! Everything is well-explained in terms familiar to anyone involved in 'real-world' paranormal investigation. Several ideas for ways of involving the characters in the investigation are provided, making this scenario perfectly useable in any campaign - provided that ghosts do exist in your setting. There is no 'alternative' explanation for the effects observed.

The main body of the book provides all the information you need to actually run the scenario. Detailed floorplans and descriptions of the haunted house and its inhabitants, carefully-sequenced events and a series of intriguing 'photographic' illustrations - which must have been great fun to create! Everything is designed with flexibility in mind: it will be simple to give the players the impression that they are able to act freely, while ensuring that all the necessary hauntings and other events take place.

The adventure is reasonably open-ended, with at least one person going about her own business in her own time. The characters may meet her, if they go to the right place at the right time, but if they don't she'll have done what she came for and left... I like that, gives the impression of a real world with which the characters interact, rather than a scenario that revolves solely around them! Although one comment (about the GM needing to keep track of the possessor of a certain item) suggests that a follow-up adventure will be forthcoming, there is also information about what can happen after the investigation is completed... including the chance of jail time for the characters if they step on the wrong toes!

Support materials are outstanding: as well as good-sized plans (which could be used for figures if you wish, although miniatures would probably detract from the atmosphere), and large copies of the photographs to print out, you can also download some spooky 'recordings' from the website, which represent EVP (electronic voice phenomena - students of the paranormal believe that spirits can utilise modern recording apparatus to leave messages for mortals).

The whole adventure is nicely put together and serves as a good introduction to paranormal investigation and to the '12 to Midnight' world... as well as being a fine first offering from the company!

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