A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Dungeon Backdrop: Aninas Family Crypt (P1)

Dungeon Backdrop: Aninas Family Crypt (P1) by Bart Wynants is a role playing game supplement published by Raging Swan Press for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result.

The supplement is available as a 17-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $3.75 but was purchased at a reduced price in a special bundle. Two pages are the front and rear covers, two are ads, three the front matter and Contents and one the Open Game License. The PDF comes in two versions, one optimised for print and high-end devices and the other for low end devices and mobile.

Using a Dungeon Backdrop is a standard piece explaining how to use this, that the backdrop is intended for use with the Duchy of Ashlar but can be modified to fit elsewhere, that location descriptions only cover the basics and that treasure is only minor and level appropriate treasure needs adding.

Dungeon Background explains that two centuries ago Languard was plagued with dead, both corporeal and incorporeal, rising from their graves and a knightly order was formed to deal with this. When the problem ceased, the order was honourably disbanded. The tomb of the order’s leader had expansions for various families built on, one being the Aninas family, which gained the reputation of being the most haunted crypt in Ashlar.

The Adventure Begins has three different hooks for getting the characters involved.

Whispers & Rumours has six that could be gathered about the cemetery.

The Surrounding Locality has some details on four locations in the cemetery, along with six pieces of cemetery dressing and six things to find.

Notable Locations at a Glance gives an overview of the important places.

Generic Dungeon Features covers the general appearance of the crypt, followed by ten pieces of dressing and ten things to find. After this is a full-page map of the crypt.

The crypt itself is then detailed, covering the specific locations. Each page is two columns, one with the details, one with some GM notes but otherwise mostly blank that the GM could add to.

Aftermath has wrap-ups for the different adventure hooks, three further adventure hooks and a sidebar explains that this, along with Dungeon Backdrop: Martryn Manor and Dungeon Backdrop: Undercity Chapel, has been designed to link together with Sacred Blood to form a mini-campaign.

Dungeon Backdrop: Aninas Family Crypt (P1) in Review

The PDF is bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. The Contents is to a similar level of depth and is hyperlinked. The text maintains a two-column format and appears to be free of errors. As well as the map, there are some stock black and white illustrations. Presentation is okay.

This location should be easy enough to drop into other settings, despite its location. It’s a cemetery and they are common everywhere; even the introductory text at the beginning about the undead plague and the knightly order are not truly essential to using it. Like others in this line, this is not quite an adventure, not quite a location. It needs some development, not working fully out of the box, but much of the work is done. Dungeon Backdrop: Aninas Family Crypt (P1) has a variety of potential uses and it can be found by clicking here.