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A bout a week ago I received Exiles of The Wicked Maze which is an old school solo play sword and sorcery style game. Sort of like the old Steve Jack books from back in the 80's but with enough twists and turns to stand on its own.
The game is different each time you play and it's a great little solo effort especially if your on your own. Can't get to your players and time is very short etc.
This is a fifteen page free additional primer and expansion to the game allowing even more back story. There's a lot of effort here on Dave Woodrums part and you can see the moviations behind this one. It expands the game into a whole new additional level and adds dimension to the solo play that you get with the game.
The back story has expanded considerably and we've been new bits and pieces to both the game as well as the story line here.
From the Rpgnow blurb:
Exiles Of The Wicked Maze: Dark Lust
Created By: Dave Woodrum
Art By: Dan (SMIF) Smith
Roughly five harvests ago a particularly courageous prisoner was exiled into the dungeon maze only to return to the surface as a great warrior. This prisoner was able to reclaim their right to return to the society above and was championed as a hero amongst the commoners. As the unwashed masses whispered praises about their hero, other factions took note that perhaps the maze was easier to infiltrate than previously thought. There were certainly riches to be found in the maze below, as well as objects that could be exploited in an effort to gain controlling power in the lands above.
A lust for wealth and power blanketed the populations that lived in the civilization above the great maze. Suddenly the dungeon maze was no longer a dreaded threat but rather a potential promise of might and fortune for those who could prove their selves worthy of survival. Impoverished citizens were now purposefully breaking the law for the sole purpose of having a shot at the maze. The arcane tools that the wizard college had once had sole interest of recovering were being talked about and covens of outlaw magicians were taking notice. The tales of old royal jewelry spread a wildfire of jealousy amongst the guards assigned to control the entry and exit of the maze. If the filthy rabble of the streets should be allowed a chance at such wealth, then why not the members of the elite ruling guard!
Though a bit of chaos was spreading because of the maze, the ruling powers turned a blind eye to the problem. After all, why not let these corrupt members of society and worthless beggars aspire to taking their chances in the maze below? Should a few survive, then perhaps these exiles could be recruited as great warriors to handle the occasional uprisings at the borderlands.
The lack of concern from the rulers of the land was all that was needed to help the covens of outlaw warlocks put their plans into action. For too long had the wizard colleges held the interests of magical research, the lands above needed to experience real power! Why let the bumbling little wizard apprentices recover such items of power when it is more fitting to have such tools discovered by a true magician? Getting an establishment in the maze would be simple, just hire a gang of desperate cutthroats to infiltrate the maze, enchantment with a few toxin spells, and let them wipe out the wizard apprentices in a fell swoop! Naturally, since the alchemist scholars were so connected to this school of practice, the warlocks decided that their hired cutthroats would eradicated these eccentrics from the maze as well.
A few representatives of the warlocks greased the palms of the more corrupt members of the guards and their plans quickly succeeded. The wizard apprentices were slaughtered with ease and the alchemist scholars quickly followed. The cutthroats also managed to take out a few dark acolytes along the way as well as a couple of hags. These actions naturally infuriated the leaders of the cult temples as well as the hag covens.
Realizing that their gains in lost ceremonial items was in jeopardy, one of the cult temples called upon their most morbid of resources, the murderous blood zealots. As the faith of these grim followers preached blood lust as being the highest of virtues, the blood zealots would prove much more effective in the maze than the weaker, more inexperienced dark acolytes. The typical contacts in the guard were bought off and the zealots were offered open passage into the maze below. Once inside, their search for ceremonial relics was mixed with rampant bloodshed.
The hags had their own solutions as well. The imps were not proving to be effective enough in the hags' quest for dominance so these foul spell casters decided that their ranks needed a boost. After recruiting/capturing several female exiles, the hags performed a foul ritual that transformed these exiles into a seductive, half demon hybrid known as an infernal harlot. Possessing intense, hypnotic beauty and a deadly kiss (or if needed, bite) that dripped with vile toxin, these harlots were created to provide a perfect solution to dealing with the presence of power hungry warlocks and their enhanced cutthroat thugs.
And thus our story of the great maze continues. Though the lot of a convicted exile remains the same, the dangers below have considerably changed. These days are indeed darker, driven by a horrid lust for power and wealth, an era that challenges even the boldest of prisoners below.
This is a free mini-expansion set for Exiles Of The Wicked Maze. In order to use this free expansion you will need to have a copy of the Exiles Of The Wicked Maze rules, which is available at this vendor for purchase and download.
Dave is very good at what he does and this one really brings the old school feel of the free addition. This is sort of like downloading an on going campaign addition in a video game. While there is more meat here. What it really does for those who've purchased the Wicked Maze is add another layer of mayhem to the game.
What the players are given here is a more interesting death or twenty as well as the opportunity for expanded play in the locations of the Maze. Here the environs are more challenging and the stakes higher.
The back story is interesting and right on the sword and sorcery vibe. This is a great game to challenge a solo night's play. It's not ever going to replace the face to face social interaction of D&D by any stretch.
But it proves the DM with a player's mind set while plunging him into the story line of the Maze. Even at only fifteen pages this is a sold addition to the already brimming cup of the Wicked Maze family.
There's sure to be more coming from Dave because right now I'm stuck in a blind alleyway and the monsters are closing in.
