Dungeon Backdrop: Shattered Halls of the Undying Oracles (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. There’s also a note on how the location is referred to by two names.
Dungeon Background gives some details on an extreme sect of Morden the Archmage – a god for the setting with all their relevant details in a sidebar – collects the skulls of the dead for internment as a repository of knowledge living on past death. An earthquake recently damaged the dungeon.
Was the Earthquake Natural? leaves answering this to the GM.
The Adventure Begins has three different adventure hooks for it.
Whispers & Rumours has six rumours to hear, most either false, partially true or potentially true. Only one isn’t indicated as such.
The Surrounding Locality has some brief details on the surroundings along with the church that stands outside the halls and the caretaker priest. A couple of ways of reaching the halls are covered, along with ten pieces of wilderness dressing and finally a map of the building.
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 underground area.
The underground area 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. There are very few of these in this case. A sidebar covers a magic item.
Aftermath has resolutions for the three adventure hooks plus the possibility of further adventures, one being to expand the location, the other using them as a source of information.
Dungeon Backdrop: Shattered Halls of the Undying Oracles (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 maps, there are some stock black and white illustrations. Presentation is okay.
This, like many of these, is only loosely tied to the official setting; only the deity really does so and many settings should have another suitable god to replace them with. It should also be possible to drop it into a suitable, somewhat out of the way, location. As usual, this is an adventure framework and needs fleshing out instead of using it out of the box. There are less suggestions for this than usual, and the GM will probably either just drop in a bunch of random monsters or come up with a reason for a specific group to take over the halls; otherwise, this is mostly just a location to explore where skulls can be questioned for their knowledge. Dungeon Backdrop: Shattered Halls of the Undying Oracles (P1) can be found by clicking here.
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