Shadows over Vathak: Ina’oth – Player’s Guide by John Bennett 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.
The supplement is available as a 34-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $3.43 but was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. One page is the front cover, one the front matter, one the Contents, one the Open Game License and one is an ad.
It starts with a couple of pieces of in-universe fluff related to some murders.
The Introduction explains that Shadows over Vathak is a setting where the abominations known as the Old Ones seek to destroy humanity, and that this supplement contains player options to augment those in Shadows over Vathak Campaign Guide, though they can be used in other settings. It then looks at playing a character in a setting and explains that evil people are not just walking XP bags, because many in the setting are not good.
Ina’oth: A Historical Overview gives a history of the country from its settlement by the bhriota to the invasion by the vindari and finally the recent Plague of Shadows which left many dead. There are looks at creating characters born in Ina’oth, or those from elsewhere, with questions that could be answered to develop the character. Finally, it looks at the dead and disease in Ina’oth thanks to the recent plague and the way different human groups view such.
Ina’oth: Places of Importance looks at the four major settlements, including the former capital of Ursatur, with populations and an overview of each. Various geographic features are covered and finally there are some whispers and rumours.
Ina’oth: Regional Traits is the start of the new character options. For characters to have regional traits, they must have been born there or lived there long enough to call it their homeland. There are a variety of traits, divided into combat, magic, faith and social.
Ina’oth: Feats has new feats, with an emphasis on disease and the dead.
Ina’oth: Items has a new item, incense, which comes in different kinds, and then magic items, with a focus on death, and some new weapon special abilities.
Ina’oth: Spells has some new spells, from 2nd to 9th level, with an emphasis on necromancy. There is also new incantation.
Ina’oth: Archetypes has the hellfire evangelist who have a narrow view of their religion and seek to force sinners to repent.
Ina’oth Prestige Classes has a new prestige class, the plague mage, who seeks to augment their own arcane powers with diseases to inflict on others.
Shadows over Vathak: Ina’oth – Player’s Guide in Review
The PDF is bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. The Contents is to a similar level of depth and is hyperlinked. Navigation is good. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be mostly free of errors. There are a number of colour illustrations. Presentation is good.
Though this is for a specific place in the Shadows over Vathak setting, most of it is still usable elsewhere. Only the Historical Overview and Places of Importance are truly tied to Vathak. All the character options are easily used in other settings, though the emphasis in many cases on disease and necromancy does mean that most are best used in settings where such are common. Shadows over Vathak: Ina’oth – Player’s Guide is a decent collection of new character options and it can be found by clicking here.
Leave a Reply