The Vault Opens by Robert J. Schwalb is a role playing game supplement published by Schwalb Entertainment for use with Shadow of the Demon Lord. This is the first supplement in the Vault of the Demon Lord, a series describing relics.
The supplement is available as a five-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $1.99 but was purchased at a reduced price during a sale. Around half a page is the cover illustration and a quarter the Credits.
The opening paragraphs introduce the new series and explain what it does. Four relics are covered, each having a description followed by game effects.
The Apotheosis Engine transfers abilities from one creature to another, and is addictive to use.
The Journal of Doctor Festring are the notes of a doctor who tried to cure insanity and essentially drove himself insane by injecting himself with a substance that caused him to undergo a change. The substance sounds very like the one that turns Dr Jekyll in Mr Hyde.
The Sky Maiden’s Mantle is a feathered cloak made of birds that allows the wearer to fly – though they fly where the birds which.
The Staff of Ys was crated before the fall of Ys and brought to Caecras by the archmage of the Tower Arcane.
A sidebar covers using relics in a campaign and explains they are literally priceless, though characters will probably be able to sell them for not as much as they should be worth.
The Vault Opens in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and, with it being short and only having four sections, these are not needed. Navigation is fine. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. There is a single colour illustration as well as the cover image; the cover appears to display the Staff of Ys and the other the Apotheosis Engine. Though it would have been good to have an illustration for each relic, presentation is decent.
The supplement has a nice little collection of new relics to add to the game, many of them, especially those that have adverse effects when used, being a source of potential adventure hooks. The Vault Opens is a decent collection of new relics and it can be found by clicking here.
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