Dungeon Backdrop: Ruin of Bleak Hill (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 an 18-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 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 the Selka River marks much of Ashlar’s northern border and beyond are wild uplands, humanoids and monsters, though there have been attempts to push the border northwards.
Bleak Hill Manor gives some details of the manor and where it is located, and that it was home to a wizard-sage obsessed with the heavens, including the so-called Vile Stars, which sometimes fell to earth and often had valuable star metals, including tordel. She died and the man was overrun and mostly destroyed during a magical attack that killed everyone.
Morden’s Dagger explains this Vile Star is a comet that will soon return.
The Adventure Begins has three adventure hooks.
Whispers & Rumours has six rumours about the manor.
The Surrounding Locality gives a general overview of the surrounding area. There are also ten pieces of wilderness dressing and ten things to find.
Notable Locations at a Glance gives an overview of the important places inside and outside the manor.
Generic Dungeon Features gives a description of the general features along with ten pieces of dungeon dressing and ten things to find, after which is a full-page map of the manor, both the surface ruins and the cellars.
The manor ruins are then described. Each page has a two-column format, one giving an overview of the location, the other having some brief GM Notes and the rest being blank for adding your own details. Tordel is also covered in a sidebar.
Aftermath has ways of wrapping up each of the three adventure hooks.
Further Adventures has three more hooks, one to make a tordel weapon, another with reclaiming the manor. The final one is to do with the Vile Star storyline and referring to that for the next adventure.
Finally, there is a player handout.
Dungeon Backdrop: Ruin of Bleak Hill (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 mostly free of errors. As well as the map, there are some stock black and white illustrations. Presentation is okay.
All that’s needed to site this adventure somewhere else is some wilderness area to place a ruin in, which is easy enough to find in most settings. The background provided is also mostly usable with some minor tweaks. Like other Dungeon Backdrops, this isn’t an adventure but a framework for such; the GM will need to add more, and there are suggestions in the GM Notes. Given this ruin is currently devoid of treasure and monsters, it can be adapted to various different levels. Dungeon Backdrop: Ruin of Bleak Hill (P1) can be found by clicking here.
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