Dungeon Backdrop: Lost Eyrie of the Demon King (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 fairly standard piece explaining how to use this, that the backdrop is intended for use with the Duchy of Ashlar, but is self-contained enough to fit most campaign worlds. It also explains that location descriptions only cover the basics and that treasure is only minor and level appropriate treasure needs adding, and that the eyrie has no specific location, and changes can be made to suit the surroundings.
Dungeon Background explains that the eyrie was home to harpies and was sacred to Pazuzu with a small portal to that being’s Abyssal plane. The harpies were eventually killed and has now been claimed by a new, unspecified, threat.
The Adventure Begins has three different adventure hooks for it.
Whispers & Rumours has six rumours. One is potentially false, depending on who the new inhabitant is.
Sidebars have details on Pazuzu and that it’s assumed that a flying monster has claimed the eyrie, and descriptions should be modified to account for the current inhabitant(s).
The Surrounding Locality looks at the surrounding area with ten pieces of wilderness dressing and ten things to find.
Notable Locations at a Glance gives an overview of the important locations.
Generic Dungeon Features gives a description of the general features along with ten pieces of dressing and ten things to find, followed by a map of the eyrie.
The eyrie itself is then described. The locations briefly covered earlier are covered in more detail. The pages have the standard two columns, one with the description, the other, GM Notes, partly blank for the GM to add their own notes as well as suggestions related to the neighbouring text.
Aftermath resolves the three adventure hooks from earlier.
Further Adventures has three examples of ways of expanding the adventure, one being claiming the eyrie as a base.
Dungeon Backdrop: Lost Eyrie of the Demon King (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.
Like others in this series, this in theory has a default setting, but in actuality lacks even that, given that there are no other references to the setting. Even in the theoretical default, its location isn’t stated, and the eyrie can be dropped into any suitable region, and that really just means mountains and cliffs. As this is, like the others, just a framework, it also needs some work, not being usable out of the box. Dungeon Backdrop: Lost Eyrie of the Demon King (P1) can be found by clicking here.
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