Vathak Terrors: Horrors of Halsburg by Christopher Wasko is a role playing game supplement published by Fat Goblin Games 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. This supplement is a short bestiary of new monsters for the Shadows Over Vathak setting.
This is a 12 page PDF that is available from RPGNow for $1 but which was purchased at a reduced price as part of a bundle. One page is the front cover, one the front matter, one the Contents, one the Open Game License and one an ad for other supplements.
The Introduction takes up a page but most of this is an illustration with only a short paragraph of what is essentially fluff about Halsburg and Ivar von Houlsman.
Next are the new monsters, three in total. These are all creations of von Houlsman and his servants, experiments in his attempts to make the vampire race stronger.
The Poxivum is a low level critter that is described as a cross between a human heart and an onion. An attempt to make vampires immune to garlic backfired with this plant which not only repels vampires with its smell but also sucks blood from the living.
The Vaquire is another somewhat failed experiment to make vampires immune to running water. It created water vortex inhabited by the undead spirit of a vampire that goes around possessing people as its own body has been dissolved.
Finally, there is the Nightsun – a huge grey orb of energy from the Negative Energy Plane. This helps sun-sensitive creatures survive in natural sunlight, and can help heal them – but its effects are also addictive.
Vathak Terrors: Horrors of Halsburg in Review
The PDF is decently bookmarked, with three monsters and Introduction linked. The Contents is to the same level of detail and is also hyperlinked. Navigation is very good. The text maintains a two column format for the monsters, single column for the Introduction, and no errors were noticed. The supplement is in full colour and each monster also has a full colour illustration. Presentation is excellent.
The three new monsters are interesting and quite thematically appropriate. They present a selection of challenges and have some interesting abilities. Vathak Terrors: Horrors of Halsburg is, even at full price, a nice little monster booklet to pick up and can be found by clicking here.
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