Dungeon Backdrop: Blasted Donjon of the Erdukr Dwarves (P1) by Creighton Broadhurst 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, two 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 designed to be useable with virtually any fantasy setting with a borderland area of hills or mountains occupied by humans, dwarves and orcs, that location descriptions only cover the basics and that treasure is only minor and level appropriate treasure needs adding.
Dungeon Background has some details on the Erdukr clan of dwarves, their struggle with the Orcs of the Flayed Skull and their making a deal with what turned out to be a necromancer for help which destroyed their clan.
The Adventure Begins has three adventure hooks for directly getting the characters involved.
Whispers & Rumours has six rumours about the dwarven clan and their home.
The Surrounding Locality gives a general overview of the surrounding area. There are also ten pieces of wilderness dressing and ten things to find. A sidebar has lore that can be discovered about the Orcs of the Flayed Skull.
Notable Locations at a Glance gives an overview of the important locations in the dungeon.
Generic Dungeon Features gives a description of the general features along with ten pieces of dungeon dressing and ten things to find, followed by a map of the donjon.
The blasted ruin is then described, with the locations from earlier covered in detail. Each page has two columns, one with the description and the other mostly blank except for some GM Notes, which have suggestions and details related to the locations.
Aftermath wraps things up using the three adventure hooks, depending on which one was used.
Further Adventures some ideas for more adventures; much of the donjon is currently inaccessible and could be excavated.
Dungeon Backdrop: Blasted Donjon of the Erdukr Dwarves (P1) in Review
The PDF is bookmarked with major and minor sections linked and only sidebars missing. 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.
Unlike a lot of the Dungeon Backdrops, this has no default setting, though it does need some specific conditions to site it. It should be relatively easy to find such a region in most settings. Like other supplements in this series, this isn’t an adventure but a framework to build an adventure on. It therefore can’t be used out of the box and will need some preparatory work by the GM before being used. With no specific monsters, it can be tailored to different levels. Dungeon Backdrop: Blasted Donjon of the Erdukr Dwarves (P1) can be found by clicking here.
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