Shades Of Black

[Steve Long]

Here’s our back-cover text describing SoB:

FOR LOVE OF EVIL...

Centuries ago the Black Paladin’s paramour, an evil witch, placed him in an enchanted slumber so that he might awake in the twentieth century to bedevil mankind once more. Now he seeks to return her to life to aid him in his schemes! With the help of the sorceress Talisman and some powerful new followers, he prepares for a ritual that will bring new evil into the world... unless your heroes can stop him!

Shades Of Black is an adventure for Champions that pits your heroes against the Black Paladin and his minions. In Act One, Murders Passing Strange, the heroes investigate a series of unusual murders that seem to have an occult connection... which leads to a confrontation with the Black Paladin as he attempts to kill another victim in a foul ritual!

Information obtained during the investigation leads to Act Two, A Course Of War. As the heroes follow up on other clues and learn the true extent of the Black Paladin’s plan, he attempts to distract them with a daring attack on a museum.

That leads to Act Three, An Unholy Rebirth, in which Black Paladin tries to complete his scheme to resurrect his paramour by means of an evil ritual performed at the haunted Delacroix Mansion. It’s up to your heroes to bring his twisted scheme to a halt!

The book concludes with character sheets for the new villains, copies of the maps that appear elsewhere in the book for easy reference, a combat summary sheet, and other play aids. So get ready... it’s time for your heroes to plumb the depths of evil in Shades Of Black!

ISBN: 978-1-58366-116-1
SKU: DOJHERO232
Price: $26.99 US

[Edsel]

Does this differ from the PDF of the same name? Which by the way is an excellent adventure.

[Steve Long]

No, it's basically the same. I touched up the editing a bit, and we put in the map that we left out of the PDF, and I added a section about adapting the adventure to other places like Vibora Bay and Hudson City. But the vast majority of the content is the same.

[mallet]

Is this a sign that we might start getting more adventures being published?

Although I assume it probably depends on how well this one sells?

[ghost-angel]

I think this might have the annual Reprint Material Book that allows them to keep a book in the schedule but provides some breathing room to Steve to research/write more. (like the Equipment Guide, Combat Handbook, You Gotta Have Character, Evil Unleashed have been in the past.)

[Lord Liaden]

This is a very fine adventure, rich in mood and characterization, with a fine balance of investigative and combat scenarios. It's also a well thought out and useful example of how to plot for the various actions players might take that change the direction of the adventure or "skip" some sections of it. I also have to applaud the high quality and useful detail of the several included maps.

Just be advised that two of the principle villains of the adventure, the Black Paladin and Talisman, are not fully statted in this book, but appear in other Fifth Edition books; and the adventure also references various demons written up in the Hero System Bestiary.

[ghost-angel]

I've had a review ready to go for a while now, but when I heard they were printing it I held off and am waiting on the hardcopy to add a paragraph on that and note any differences (however minor) that could entice those who've had it for years to rebuy it in book form.

[FenrisUlf]

I've been waiting for this, thanks for making a hardcopy of the adventure.

[Myrlyn]

Steve:

Will the PDF be updated at all to further match the Book (missign map for example, layout changes if any, etc.)? If it is, will previous owners of the PDF be able to download the changes?

Keith

[Steve Long]

Yes, and yes.

[Myrlyn]

Sweet! So the natural follow up to that question is... "will there be an announcement for when the PDF is updated?"

[mvoncannon]

Hey, I am just as excited as you are. Relax, though. Steve is getting ready to go under the knife. There is one thing I have noticed, and I am sure you have too, and that is if they say it is going to happen, it will.

Please make it soon. Please, please, please.

[Steve Long]

The problem is, right now Andy and I are both sick, and we have other serious deadlines to keep on top of. We'll get to it as soon as we can, I promise.

[aylwin13]

Thanks Steve. That's all we can ask for from you guys. Hope you two get well soon.




And then get back to writing...

[HeroTina]

Shades of Black is in the store now. Steve and Andy will do the pdf and cp as soon as possible