Andy Lingua
I state that I received The Wanderer’s Legacy from the author in order to write this review. All the images are in Italian just because I received the Italian version of the book.
In the world of role-playing games, it often happens to accumulate interesting ideas, characters and circumstances. Sometimes they (unfortunately) fall by the wayside, sometimes they take shape. This is the case of The Wanderer’s Legacy, a systemless compendium available in both English and Italian, containing various tools that can facilitate the life of many masters and provide fresh and brilliant ideas. The lack of a reference game system is, in fact, an advantage and allows you to use it with any fantasy RPG.
The author Diego Pisa (we have already spoken about him in an article dedicated to The Sky Archipelago 2) has also written a very pleasant introduction that can immediately put the reader in the right mood. It lets us understand the value of this manual through the words of one of its protagonists, also mentioned in the title of the work itself.
Quality (and quantity) content
In its fifty pages, The Wanderer’s Legacy presents very varied and unconventional contents, capable of stimulating the imagination of even the most experienced players. Inside we find:
- A divinity: The Forgotten, a superior entity who grants blessings to heroes; characters get increasingly powerful favors in relation to their heroic deeds.
- 3 NPCs: Three mysterious entities, usable in various contexts. A Wanderer, a hermit who loves travels and knowledge; a Legendary Blacksmith, severe but with incomparable skills; The Gatekeeper, a taciturn guardian. Each of these characters is defined by background, fame, ability, requests, heroic profile, race and philosophy. Nothing is missing.
- 5 monsters: these creatures are very different from the “usual fantasy monsters” and, although there is no reference game system, there is no shortage of technical ideas. Their story is very interesting as it also contains stories of those who discovered them. I particularly appreciated the presence of the possible revenues generated by their defeat.
- 9 adventure hints: When you need side quests, longer adventure interludes or quality one-shot material, here you will have a lot. Each is provided with a name, plot hook, story and rumors. I’m just struggling with the absence of a development or a conclusion to the stories. After all, however, this aspect leaves complete freedom to the master and this, in general, is positive for this kind of work.
- 30 artifacts: the section dedicated to magical objects is certainly the most extensive. Each has a detailed history (from creation to subsequent events) and very useful technical details, especially for a systemless manual. The variety is truly immense and the originality makes each artifact unique.
The uniqueness of the artistic form
After all, even the aesthetic side has a decidedly important relevance and this aspect fully satisfies. The artistic vein of Diego Pisa is present in every line and embellishes all the elements. The passion with which he created the work is evident and perfectly embodies his style. It is extremely particular and difficult to find it elsewhere. I struggle to find a precise definition, but I could say that it is a peculiar union between classic fantasy and anime/manga style. These lines are enhanced by bright and full of meaning colors. Before judging this choice, I suggest you take a look at some of his works and get an idea. I sincerely like it and now I could recognize its trait at first sight.
For the rest it is a soft covered manual with a precise and well-made layout. The pages are full of content, the attention of the viewer moves between large illustrations and text arranged in an original but suitable way. The font is varied, but never out of context. In some points it’s more gothic and less legible than the other parts, but neither this is a problem; it is used with great common sense and enhances an already excellent work. The display of the page number is particular, positioned in the center near the binding.
Conclusions on The Wanderer’s Legacy
Even this journey into fantasy is (unfortunately) over and the time has come to draw conclusions. Does this product deserve to be in your role-playing library? In my opinion, yes, for various reasons. The most practical feature is certainly the fact that it does not have a reference system and is therefore useful for anyone and any project. An additional value is given by the visual impact that, alone, would justify the purchase.
About the purchase: the cost varies between about €5 of the digital version to about €15 of the physical version and this makes it very accessible. Considering this detail, I can only recommend it!
